A Family
by Sev's Little girl
Summary: All Harry every wanted was a family that would love him for who his.  what happens when he gets what he needs and wants in his fifth year?  Contains abuse.
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

This summer was anything but ordinary as Elizabeth 'Brooks' sat in her father's potion's lab. It was well past midnight, but the fourteen year old was wide awake, awaiting her father's return. She didn't enjoy the fact that he served the Dark Lord since he had risen only a month before the end of the school year. The Slytherin sighed as she slumped against the wall and stretched her legs out in front of her. Several strains of her long black hair fell into her pale face as she huffed. Seconds later the sound of the fireplace roaring to life as the floo network was accessed alerted her that her father was home.

Severus Snape stumbled out of the hearth and fell face first onto the floor. His body ached after the latest bout of the Cruciatus Curse, they had failed once again to gain access to Potter and they had paid for it dearly. . . Trust him they did. Soon the soft foot falls of his daughter could be heard as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Take this, it'll help." Elizabeth stated as she pulled off the Death Eater mask that adorned her father's face.

The summer was just like normal, Harry Potter lay on the floor in his room covered in blood and crying softly. The fourteen year old should have been use to it by now, but he wasn't and all he wanted at the moment was a family that would care for him. Love him. He would get his wish soon.

Author's notes: Just an Idea I have, tell me what you think.


	2. Dumbeldore

As the sunlight shined through the window right into the eyes of the occupant that lay on the floor, he began to stir. Harry was engulfed in pain as he sat up, the fresher wounds on his back still oozed, but not as bad as they had only hours before.

X X X

Pushing himself up off of the floor, he didn't look in the mirror that adorned the wall, already knowing that his pale skin was adorned with various colored bruises that would take a few weeks to completely disappear. The welts would most likely stay and become scars like the ones before them.

Harry peeled the oversized shirt over his head and put on a fresh one, he didn't really think a shower would be a good idea for he would only end up the same way again. After repeating the actions with his jeans, Harry headed down stairs to begin his chores.

Elizabeth sighed as she looked out of the window to the sun shining down upon them, but the outside atmosphere was just the exact opposite of the way she felt. Maybe it was the fact that her father was down stairs having a nice argument with the headmaster over something that most likely happened decades ago or maybe it was over Harry Potter. The young Slytherin's mind would have kept wondering until she heard her name come from within the sitting room.

". . . . Elizabeth would be safer out of the country and away from the war." The voice of Albus Dumbledore stated. Then the sound of something crashing to the floor echoed throughout the building.

"I will not let you tell me what is best for my child Albus." Severus's voice stated filled with anger. "She is the only real thing I possess and I will never send her away just to make anyone happy."

"I was not implying it would make me happy. . ." But that was as far as Albus made it.

"Albus I do believe it is time for you to leave." Severus sighed, the sound of his chair scrapping against the floor as he left the headmaster to find his way to the door.

The house was silent again as Elizabeth made her way down the narrow staircase. There was no need to search the ground floor for she knew where her father would be, and sure enough as she reached the bottom of the stairs the smell of a freshly brewing potion attacked her senses.

"He wants to send me away?" Elizabeth asked startling the man hard at work.

"I didn't see you there dear." Severus replied as he turned the fire off from under the completed potion.

"He wants to send me away." Elizabeth stated this time. "Does he not know what that can possibly do?"

"You're not going anywhere." Severus said as he grasped his daughter's hand in his and brought her into an embrace. "I'd never let anyone take you."

X X X

A small smile touched the battered boy's cracked lips as he examined the unopened letter that he had just received. Anxiously he ripped open the envelope and let his eyes devour its contents.

_Harry,_

_You will be removed from your uncle's home in a week's time._

_-Albus Dumbledore._

Harry should have been happy, but it was going to be a week, an entire week. That was a long time by his books, but maybe the letter was a sign of good things to come.

X X X

Author's notes: Another chapter. Thanks for the reviews and story alerts.


	3. Saving Harry

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Desperate was the only word to describe how the now fifteen-year-old Harry Potter felt as he laid broken on the floor. No one had come to retrieve him . . . No one. He was forgotten like a discarded toy soldier that was no longer wanted by its owner. The last letter he had received was the one from Dumbledore, a week before his birthday making that two weeks without any contact. Vernon had been furious that no one had come for his nephew and he showed it that night as he gave Harry the worst beating he had in ages. And all Harry wanted now? He wanted for someone, anyone, to come and save him.

X X X

Elizabeth sighted heavily as she stared up at the peeling grey ceiling lying on a bed in a room she had no desire to be in. The building was old and smelled like ancient dust. Three times a week it was crowded by Order members and echoed with noise as they discussed twenty million things at once and it gave her a migraine. The young Slytherin had been there for a week and a half; the Gryffindor's ignored her and pretended she wasn't there at all. Her room mates: Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley talked amongst themselves, no doubt discussing the fact that Elizabeth was ordered there by Dumbledore himself.

_It was the last option he was given._

"_Severus it's the best thing for her." Albus Dumbledore stated as he glanced over his half moon glasses. Elizabeth stood rooted next to her father in the massive office. Severus's face was emotionless but his body language spoke volumes: he was angry and deeply upset. His chest rose and fell at a rapid pace and the grip he had on her soft hand tightened immensity._

"_She can either stay ay Headquarters or she can leave the country, your choice." Albus was persistent on getting rid of her, as if he wanted to make Severus's life even more miserable then it already was._

"_Headquarters" Severus whispered his grasp slackening and his cold black eyes showing defeat._

The result was painful. Slowly Elizabeth sat up, her mind was spinning when she realized something . . . Something important.

"Hey Granger" Elizabeth called as she noticed the bushy haired girl walk past the open door, grabbing the other girls attention. "Is Potter here?"

"Um . . . Why do you ask?" Hermione questioned utterly surprised that the Slytherin was addressing her.

"I thought he was supposed to be here a few days before I was?" Elizabeth asked. "Or I was told that anyway but I haven't seen him. You guys couldn't have forgotten about him, could you?" Elizabeth couldn't help but smirk a bit as horror flashed through Hermione's features. Apparently they did, seconds later Hermione dashed down the stairs and Elizabeth couldn't help but follow, she had to see this.

By the time Elizabeth had reached the ground floor, Ronald Weasley was pounding on the door that lead to the kitchen, it seemed that Hermione had told him what Elizabeth had said and was determined to get the attention of the adults in the Order meeting.

"Keep it up; you may be able to wake the dead." Elizabeth smirked; the Slytherin in her couldn't help but surface now.

"Shut up." Weasley barked back at Elizabeth, his ears were red with anger.

"Don't get all touchy Weasley." Elizabeth stated as she pushed him and Granger out of the way before pounding a rhythm on the door causing someone to open it.

The occupants of the kitchen stared up at the three teens that stood in the doorway, the only thing that separated them? Mrs. Weasley.

"I'm sorry dears, but you are going to have to wait until the meeting is over." The old motherly woman explained as she attempted to close the door.

"But this is really important." Hermione protested, but the door still moved. "It's about Harry."

X X X

Harry slowly sat up with his back to the door; it was a lot more painful than he believed it would be. With steady hands he pulled his bloody t-shirt off and scooted over to his trunk and pulled out one of several bottles of a healing salve. Carefully Harry unscrewed the lid and placed it beside him before he rubbed it on his tender wounds. Tears pooled in his eyes, but Harry refused to let them fall, he refused to cry. He was the 'Golden Boy' and had to be brave and suck it up, but he didn't think he could last for much longer, hopefully someone would notice his absence . . . hopefully. But he was losing faith in his friends and the people that told him they cared.

X X X

The Order members stared up at the teens with intensity, but none of the Gryffindor's spoke up.

"Um, I was just wondering if I was the only person who realized that no one picked Potter up a week ago." Elizabeth asked as her eyes fell on her father.

"Are you sure?" Sirius Black asked as he scrutinized Elizabeth.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Elizabeth replied as she turned her hazel eyes to the Headmaster who was now scanning the crowd for someone.

"Severus." Albus called drawling the Death Eaters attention. "Please fetch Harry for us."

"Why can't Remus do it?" Severus spat, annoyance was etched into his face. Albus knew how much he hated and loathed the child so why would he send him.

"Please Severus?" Albus asked in his normal calm tone. Severus huffed and then turned to see Elizabeth still standing in the doorway, before turning back to see the look on the Headmaster's face.

"Fine, I'll retrieve your Golden Boy." Severus sneered pushing himself out of the chair, scrapping the stone under it, making Black glare at him.

"Maybe you should send Moony." Sirius suggested.

"Severus will do just fine." Albus answered as he watched his Potion's Master stalk past the teens in the door.

X X X

Privet Drive looked like it was created by cloning, everything looked the same. Same houses, same manicured lawns. It was as if he had walked into one of those Home and Garden magazines Elizabeth's grandmother loved so dearly. With a heavy sigh Severus tracked up the street. His muggle clothes drew no attention from the neighbors that where watering their lawns and talking to friends. Finding Number Four Privet Drive was no hard task as his eyes read the addresses upon the house fronts, but it seemed getting the occupants to actually answer would take a bit longer than he would've liked. Five minutes later the door flew open revealing a very angry looking man.

"Mr. Dursley I am here to pick up your nephew." Severus stated in an emotionless voice.

"You're a week late." Vernon practically shouted at Severus.

"There was nothing I could do about it." Severus stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I was just ordered to come and pick up the brat."

The voices carried up from down stairs and into Harry's ears, it was oddly familiar but he couldn't place it. The healing salve had taken the edge off of the pain but he still hurt all over. Moments later thunderous footsteps echoed up the carpeted stairs making Harry shake in horror as he thought his uncle was coming back to finish what he had started. The frail bedroom door flew open with such force it should have come off its hinges.

"Get your things and get the hell out of my house freak." Vernon yelled at Harry. "One of your kind is waiting for you down stairs." Harry stared up at his uncle in disbelief, maybe someone did care about him. Slowly and under the intense gaze of his uncle, Harry gathered up his belongings before limping down stairs. His school trunk banged on every step as he descended the stairs, Harry ignored the glares he was receiving from both his Uncle and the teacher that hated him the most.

"Any time today would be nice Potter." Severus growled as Harry finally made it to the bottom of the stairs and stopped for a moment before Severus roughly grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the house.

"I don't have time for you." Severus stated coldly as Vernon shut the door behind them. Maybe Harry was better off at the Dursley's.

Author's notes: Yes another chapter up and the longest yet! Hope you like it.


	4. Meeting Elizabeth

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Harry entered the unfamiliar house with complete caution, he knew he was getting on the potion's teachers nerves, but it was just the way he acted. Harry heard the potion's master mumble something under his breath as he stormed past the Gryffindor leaving him to find his way in the new environment. Moments later the sounds of voices reached his ears.

"There, now you can go on living your Gryffindor lives," came a voice from just up the hall. Slowly Harry inched closer to find out who spoke, it was no one he knew, "despite the fact that you totally forgot about him."

Harry's heart sank as his eyes fell on the tall, lean, black haired, hazel eyed girl that spoke. His friends had forgotten him; the people he cared about the most had disregarded him when he needed them the most.

"I can just see the hurt look on his face when he finds out." The girl stated as her soft eyes met his.

"How do you know?" Ron asked his ears reddening with anger.

"Because he's right behind you," the female replied making Ron and Hermione turn to see Harry standing less than ten feet away. The hurt was obvious as he noticed the looks on their faces, but Harry's attention was even more focused on the girl that walked quickly and quietly up the ancient stairs that led to the other floors in the smushed building.

"Harry . . ." Hermione began, but it was too late, she knew that Harry had heard Elizabeth's statement.

"I understand." Harry whispered as he moved past them and up the stairs, he had no idea where he was going, but he just wanted to get away.

X X X

Elizabeth's conscious was getting the better of her as she lay on the bed. It seemed wrong to break the happiness the Boy-Who-Lived may have felt, but even he deserved the right to know. The silence in the room gave way to the sounds of footsteps ascending the stairs, the Slytherin figured it was the two thirds of the golden trio that she had aggravated, but was surprised when Harry walked past the door, completely and utterly lost.

"Something wrong Potter?' Elizabeth questioned as she sat up on the mattress. It took less time then she thought to grab his attention. "you seem lost."

Harry glared at Elizabeth from the doorway; coldness was etched on his pale face, but not in his eyes.

"I was the one to notice you were missing." Elizabeth stated when Harry remained silent.

"You?" Harry asked as he set his things down, they were getting pretty heavy.

"Yeah, the only Slytherin in this place noticed that the Golden Boy was nowhere to be found." Elizabeth sighed as she took in the younger boy's body language. "What does that tell you?"

"They were probably busy." Harry said trying to convince himself more than the girl in front of him.

"You don't believe that." Elizabeth replied as she walked toward the boy. "I wouldn't either. It's kind of hard to believe that the people you care about don't really care about you." Harry looked to the ground finding his shoes intriguing as she spoke.

"Let me show you to your room." Elizabeth said as she grabbed one end of Harry's trunk and headed down the hall. It took less than five minutes to locate the room Harry would share with Ron.

"Here you go." Elizabeth sighed as she dropped Harry's trunk by the door and turned to walk away, "My name is Elizabeth by the way."

X X X

Harry sat on his bed, his body now ached in excruciating pain; the salve he had applied before he was saved was wearing off. And there was no way for him to reapply it at the moment, he was afraid of Ron or Hermione coming to apologize and when they entered they would surely see the bruises and lacerations he had received. He was not ready to talk about it let alone have it discovered before he destroyed Voldemort. What would the Wizarding World think of him if he couldn't even take on a muggle? Apparently they believed that he could take it all, but what if they were wrong and he shattered at the last moment? What would he do then?

"Are you alright?" Harry's head snapped up as Elizabeth's voice sounded from the door.

"Oh . . . Yeah I'm just fine." Harry smiled weakly, the pain getting worse with every breath.

"Mrs. Weasley said it was time for dinner." Elizabeth stated. She noticed the pained grimace on the boy's face as he sat looking at her, there was something wrong and she knew it, but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Alright" Harry said as he saw Ron's fiery head pop into view just as the Slytherin left.

"We're really sorry mate." Ron said strongly. "I guess when Elizabeth came we got side tracked . . . "

"Ron it's fine really." Harry sighed. "I can't stay mad at you guys forever."

Authors Notes:

Yes ANOTHER chapter done yay! Hope you like it.


	5. Thank You

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

XXX

The spray of the shower stung Harry's wounded body as he stood under the cascade of warm water, cleansing the welts, lacerations, and bruises he had acquired from countless beatings. Despite the pain, Harry enjoyed the fact that he was now rid of the dried blood his clothes had hidden when he had arrived that afternoon. He stood there for what seemed like hours.

The water was soothing, so soothing in fact it caused his battered body to finally relax. Soon the water turned cold just as the wounds on his body had stopped bleeding. With a heavy sigh, Harry turned off the water, the calming effect it had circling around and down the drain with it. The teen slowly dried his body and reapplied the salve before getting dressed. Deep down Harry wished that the bathroom door would spring open and the person on the other side would discover his secret, the one he had been hiding since he could talk. He wished someone would be his savior.

Elizabeth lay against her headboard; her eyes were closed as she let her mind wander in an attempt to decipher Harry's unusual body language. The ' Golden Boy' had seemed to be a little stiff with his movements that night at dinner, and his normally calm voice contained traces of pain when he spoke. He even had a little trouble walking up the stairs that night when he went to go shower.

It seemed as if there was something wrong with him, under the clothes he wore laid the cause of his discomfort, she knew. But there was no real way to prove he was injured; there was no physical evidence, no blood seeping through his shirt, nothing. It was aggravating to the Slytherin that she was the only one who seemed to notice the changes in the boy.

XXX

Elizabeth sighed tiredly as she ungracefully plopped down in the chair next to Hermione the next morning. The young Slytherin got little to no sleep the night before, every time sleep would wash over her, her thoughts and theories about Harry would dance back into the forefront of her mind keeping her awake.

"The meeting with You-Know-Who ran a bit late?" Ron asked from across the table, receiving a few laughs from his brothers and Sirius and disapproving glares from his mother and Hermione.

"No, but at least I don't suffer from memory loss, I remember when my friends are suppose to arrive." The laughter stopped immediately, making Elizabeth smirk, she knew her comment would have that silencing effect.

"Are you ever going to let us forget that?' Hermione asked as she watched the kitchen door for any signs of Harry.

"No," Elizabeth replied., " It shows how great The-Boy-Who-Lived friends are, they can't even remember that he's not around, it makes one wonder if you are truly his friends or if you're just in it for the fame."

The kitchen rang with silence as the occupants absorbed Elizabeth's words, she knew she had been blunt when she spoke, but there was no reason to sugar coat the facts, especially when they came from her.

The kitchen door opened at exactly the right moment, Elizabeth was sure that if Harry hadn't come in Black would have throttled her for calling his godson's friends fakes.

Harry was exhausted, he refused to sleep that night, and he had no desire to wake up his roommate with the screams form his never ending nightmares. But despite the fact that he was half asleep the boy still noticed the tension in the air.

"Why don't you have a seat Harry dear?" Mrs. Weasley smiled as she tried to break the tension in the room. "Breakfast it almost ready."

Xxx

Harry walked quietly up the stairs; he had spent a good portion of the last two hours looking for one person in particular. It had taken awhile for the boy to realize that he had not thanked the girl that had most likely saved his life. After a few more moments of searching, Harry found Elizabeth.

The girl was sitting in the library, her knees where pulled up to her chest as she rested her chin upon them, and she seemed to be asleep; but as he stepped forward he could see her eyes gleaming with the light coming from the fireplace.

"Elizabeth?" Harry asked grabbing her attention.

"Harry." Elizabeth responded as she placed her feet on the floor and looked at her visitor. "Can I help you?" Her voice was void of emotion and monotone as she spoke.

"I realized I never thanked you." The Gryffindor replied.

"There is no need to," Elizabeth sighed as she pushed herself off of the dusty black couch. "I was just doing my part."

"Yeah, well your part saved me." Harry stated unknowing he had revealed a hint of truth to the Slytherins theories. "So thank you."

"Don't let your friends know you're thanking a Slytherin," Elizabeth stated as she stood "They might think I'm turning you."

Author's notes:

Another chapter completed. Thanks for all of the reviews, story alerts, and fav's. Seeing how many people enjoy this makes my day. And a huge thanks to my beta and amazing friend: HPgirl4ever


	6. Apology

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

XXX

Elizabeth needed someone to talk to. Someone to confide in. She needed someone that would take five minutes out of their life to listen to her conclusion about Harry. But the adults were too busy with the Order and her fellow classmates were too busy holding house rivalries to even think about listening to her. She should have known better than to get herself involved with the Gryffindor's personal issues, but if she didn't then who would? Who would be there to save the savior if he needed it? Who would be there in the watching in the back ground if she wasn't?

Harry sat across the room staring at Elizabeth as she sat by the window. A troubled look was upon her pale face. The girl had been that way for some time and he would have gotten up to sit by her if it didn't hurt to move. His wounds had been healing nicely over the one week he had been there, and it seemed to be only a matter of time, hopefully before school began, before he would be completely healed. Despite the fact that the wounds were closed and no longer bled, the pain was still there, not as strong as it had been, but it was still there. But soon they would just become a memory, like everything else.

XXX

The silence of the office was only broken by the sounds of the crackling fire as Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk. His blue twinkling eyes examining the letter in his hands that was addressed to Severus. It had been in his possession for quite awhile, but he figured it was best if he kept it, the last thing he wanted was the man to break down after he discovered the letter was from Lily. It was written well before the Gryffindor had died, the yellowed parchment proved that. It held precious information that the potion's master deserved to know. But with the return of the Dark Lord, maybe the younger man that was also involved deserved to know as well.

XXX

"You're quiet tonight, Elizabeth." Mrs. Weasley stated that night at dinner. The Slytherin had finally given up every and all attempts at tell anyone about what she thought about Harry's home life. The moment anyone ever tried to get their attention, they'd blow you off, pretending that nothing was wrong and simply kept going. And adults wondered why they never told them anything.

"Yeah, I'm fine; I just wish I was at _hom_e." Elizabeth stressed the last word to get her point across, this was one of those times she wished her father would walk through the door and take her away, but that was just as likely to happen as her and Weasley becoming friends.

"Then why don't you go back?" Ron sneered, his voice full of venom as he glared at the girl, but Elizabeth's face remained emotionless as if it was just a normal conversation.

"I wish I could." Elizabeth sneered back. "Trust me; I have no desire to be here what so ever. And If I had a voice in this I would have refused to come. My family is far more important than staying here with you."

Harry stared at the two people beside him, Ron's ears were red with anger and Elizabeth's fists were curled, her knuckles white. No one spoke up.

"So why don't . . ."

"Ron, that's enough." Harry stated as he grasped his friend's arm as Elizabeth pushed herself away from the table and stormed away. "That was uncalled for. Don't you understand that you're treating her like they treat us? In the end that makes us no better than them, we are supposed to be Gryffindors, models. We aren't supposed to stoop down to their level." It was no surprise that his friend's were shocked, and it felt kind of good to get looks of approval from the adults in the room, it appeared that they didn't approve of Ron's behavior toward Elizabeth since she had brought up the fact that Harry had been forgotten.

XXX

Harry slowly ascended the staircase, he felt horrid for Ron's behavior toward the girl. It wasn't her fault that she was a Slytherin. It wasn't her fault that Voldemort had come back to power. The door to the room she was staying in was shut when Harry reached it. With a soft sigh he rapped his knuckles upon the door's hard surface, loud enough to be heard, yet soft enough so that the rest of the occupants had no idea where he had gone.

Harry began to worry when Elizabeth didn't open the door right away; he hoped she didn't do anything that would have caused her harm in any way. He had come to like the Slytherin in the two weeks he had been at headquarters, not because she had saved his life, but because he felt he could relate to her in a sense.

But he knew that when school started everything would go back to normal for her. She would have her parents and a family that loved her. She would be free from the taunts that would circulate around the castle; she could be a normal Wizard kid, while he could not. He would be the one everybody depended on, the one that was always unloved by his family, the one that the rumors would be about. He would be the freak.

The sound of the door opening brought Harry from his thoughts, the teen was surprised that Elizabeth had opened the door fully.

"Can I help you?' She asked in a cool tone, her arms were crossed over her chest as she leaned against the frame.

"Um . . . I just wanted to apologize for what Ron did at dinner tonight," Harry stated sheepishly, kind of embarrassed for looking so stupid standing in her doorway. He knew she didn't believe him, but it was worth a try, he just wanted to return the favor she had done him, even though what she had done was way greater than what he had.

"Well isn't that nice? So now you do his bidding?" Elizabeth asked, a slightly amused looked marred her face in a very Slytherin way. "I thought it was the other way around? Or was I wrong?"

"Listen, I just wanted to do the right thing." Harry defended. "I don't want to be on bad terms with you."By the look on her face, it was apparent Elizabeth was taken aback; she had most likely expected everything and anything by that. "I guess I thought we could be friends?"

"I suggest you be careful about that statement. " Elizabeth said sternly, "You may piss off the weasel, But I guess it would be worth a try."

XXX

Author's Notes: sorry about the horrid chapter, I've been having some issues with someone I know. But I hope you like it all the same.


	7. I will be there

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

_Previously: "I suggest you be careful about that statement." Elizabeth said sternly, "You may piss off the weasel, though I guess it would be worth a try." _

XXX

Harry smiled as the words rolled off of Elizabeth's tongue; he was hoping she would say that. It would be nice to have someone other than Ron and Hermione to talk to, especially when they got into their little arguments that could and would go on for days.

"I see that made you happy." Elizabeth replied as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. The cool tone was gone and her face held a little emotion, not much, but just enough. Harry blushed, his face heating up as embarrassment overtook him once again.

"I haven't seen that part of you in a while." By now the girl's voice was soft, as if she was talking to one of her house buddies; she was willing to give their friendship a try.

XXX

"So how long have you been here?" Harry asked as he and Elizabeth sat in the library. The house was quiet for once. Mrs. Weasley had gone shopping for their school supplies, allowing everyone to take a break from their relentless cleaning of the ancient house. It seemed like a miracle, to Harry at least, that Elizabeth wanted to get to know him, the real him. They were getting along well, considering the fact that they had only begun their secret friendship a few days prior.

"Too long," Elizabeth replied honestly, "almost a month actually. I arrived a week before you did."

"What did your parents say?" Harry asked intrigued by the fact she was sent here also.

"My father fought Dumbledore's orders, but in the end he lost." Elizabeth sighed. "It was either this or I spend my summer somewhere else. And I doubt my father would agree on that."

"What about your mother?" Harry asked, this seemed to be much more about Elizabeth than him, but that was fine.

"She died," Elizabeth stated as she examined her hands. "She died when I was really little." The girl had no real desire to tell Harry how her mother died, in fact she had no desire to tell him she almost died as well, but the truth would emerge with time, like everything else.

Harry smiled sadly, he knew the feeling that Elizabeth had all too well, but she was still the lucky one, she had a _parent_, she had love, and all he had was relatives that hated and abused him. But maybe he could finally find the courage to tell someone, even if it was Elizabeth.

XXX

Severus felt his body shake uncontrollably as he lay upon the cold stone floor of his private quarters. Deep inside he waited to hear the soft voice of his child, but he knew it would never come, the past few weeks had been hard to bear as the house no longer seemed to be alive with the happiness Elizabeth seemed to constantly contain.

The worse was always after the meetings with the Dark Lord, just like tonight, when his body was trying to cope with the after effects of the _Cruciatus_ curse among other un-pleasantries. Slowly the potions master pushed himself up, swearing as pain coursed through his badly battered body.

He should have been used to the agony by now, but then again the last time he felt this immensity of pain he had still been young, in fact he had just begun working at Hogwarts. That was fourteen years ago, Elizabeth had been just a baby and he had made the decision to become a spy in order to protect her. But now things had changed, he was no longer as young as he used to be, his daughter was almost fifteen and she would no longer be safe. This new term was going to be interesting.

XXX

"She's not that bad." Harry stated, as he glared at Ron from his bed. "She's not like the rest of them."

"How do you know that?" Ron asked angrily as he propped himself up on his elbows. "As far as we know she is going to see you off to You-Know-Who!"

"She has no ties to Voldemort." Harry stated as Hermione walked in, she had been avoiding the subject about Harry and Elizabeth's friendship since he had brought it up the day after he apologized.

"But she's a Slytherin Harry, they are all actors." Hermione said, apparently she was against Elizabeth as well.

"Have either of you attempted to get to know her?" Harry questioned as he watched Hermione stand by Ron's bed. By the look on their faces they had just left her be, like they had with him. Did they not care anymore? Was Elizabeth right? Did they only like him because he was famous? In the end would Elizabeth the Slytherin be the only person by his side? Or would his best friends finally except Elizabeth as one of them? But these questions that were running through his mind wouldn't be answered immediately, it would only occur overtime. "Would it hurt to try and get to know her?"

Harry's question was met by silence; apparently having inter-house relations was going to be out of the question for the others. Harry just glared at the pair for a moment, before springing up from his bed and storming out of the room. He had this strange heart breaking feeling in his chest, it almost felt as if someone had punched him, he was slowly losing them.

XXX

Elizabeth was surprised when someone banged on the door, quickly she folded up the letter her father had sent her a few days ago and placed it under her pillow, she would have to wait to reply or just hold off for a few more days when school started again. But either way she was going to respond.

"Coming" Elizabeth called as the person knocked again. Sliding off of the bed she made her way to the door and opened it to find Harry. He looked upset and miserable as she stepped out of the way and allowed him to enter.

"You alright?" Elizabeth asked as she closed the door, concern evident in her voice. She may have only begun to get to know the 'Golden Boy', but seeing him this way made her feel somewhat protective, especially if her theory was true.

"No." Harry said as he sat on her bed, his hands between his knees, his head bent as if the floor was intriguing.

"Want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked as she sat next to him, but she didn't get a response. Instead he leaned against her, placing his head on her shoulder. All he wanted was some comfort for whatever pain he had.

It was unknown how long they sat like that in the silence, but it allowed Elizabeth to think about her new friend. They had a particularly strong bond that she didn't have with any of her other friends, it felt as if they had known each other their entire lives. And it seemed that Harry felt it too, if he didn't Elizabeth seriously doubted that he would be sitting beside her seeking comfort.

Slowly Harry sat back up, but didn't look at Elizabeth; instead focusing his attention on the ground.

"Do you think the start of term will change anything between us?" Harry's voice was hoarse from the lack of use.

"I don't think so." Elizabeth replied as she placed a cool hand on Harry's warm one. "I'll be there when you need me."

XXX

Author's notes: Yes another chapter finished, I am so excited that so many of you enjoy this story.

Sev's Little Girl.


	8. Argument

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Author's Notes: Ok, thank you so very much for all of the favorites, reviews, and story alerts. I am so excited that so many of you love this story, and I hope you enjoy it when I throw in a twist.

XXX

Harry was feeling particularly miserable as he sat upon his trunk in the hallway. Grimmauld Place was unusually noisy as everyone hurried to finish last minute packing before they left for the train station. His last week at headquarters had not been the best. Ron and Hermione would refuse to speak to him if he mentioned Elizabeth, thus putting an end to his attempts at bringing them together with the Slytherin. How was he supposed to save the Wizarding world if he couldn't even bring his friends together?

The sound of the rest of occupants coming down the stairs dragged Harry out of his musings. He only hoped that the summer was not a preview of what was to come during the school year. If it was; he was going to have a horrid time.

XXX

Elizabeth paid no attention to her roommates as she placed the last of her items in her trunk before she slammed it shut. She was ecstatic that she was finally going to leave this place behind. She no longer had to put up with Weasley and Granger every waking moment of her life! At best, she would see them in class.

But there was a down side to leaving, she would not be able to see Harry as often as she would like, especially since she now wanted to prove he was a victim of child abuse. Hopefully things between her and Harry wouldn't change. Maybe he would even open up to her, particularly when he found out she would be more than happy to help him get out of his current situation.

XXX

The train station was just as packed as ever as they made their way to the platform. The guarded walk to King's Cross had been filled with uneasy silence and dirty looks. Ron and Hermione had Harry trapped between them in an attempt to keep him away from Elizabeth, but five minutes into the journey, their efforts were made futile as Harry freed him himself and hung back so that he could walk with Elizabeth.

"You shouldn't have done that." Elizabeth murmured as she walked with Harry. "You know he gets jealous when his best friend neglects him."

Harry could pick up the sarcasm in Elizabeth's voice and smiled, he really didn't care what Ron thought anymore, well, not since Elizabeth had saved him.

"She's right you know!" Ron stated as he turned to face the pair, his ears were red with anger and his nostrils flared with every breath.

"Practicing to be a Dragon Weasel? Because if you are, you're doing a pretty pathetic job of it." Elizabeth smiled, she had no real desire to pick a fight with a bunch of Aurors around, but her Slytherin side just couldn't help it.

"I can't wait until we're rid of you." Ron sneered as he moved to stand only inches from Elizabeth's face. She didn't waver, choosing to simply smirk instead.

"Likewise." Elizabeth replied. "I would rather spend a summer in hell than another moment with you."

"Guys. Stop. Please." Harry pleaded as he stepped between the two.

"You defending her now?" Ron asked his voice rising as he grabbed a fist full of Harry's shirt before he shoved him back, causing him to fall to the ground. Harry's face was nothing short of shocked as he hit the ground, he could feel pain shoot through his body.

"What the hell was that for?" Elizabeth asked in a deathly tone as she held her hand out to Harry, who now had tears pooling in his emerald eyes.

Ron stood still as he let everything sink in, his facial expression changing from anger to remorse. "Harry, I am so sorry." He managed to say as Elizabeth pulled the Golden Boy to his feet. Harry stood after a moment, his body shaking before he shoved his way past Ron and Hermione, allowing the tears to flow.

"Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked when she reached Harry as he walked toward the barrier, she could see the tears running down his face, and the fact that he was still shaking only proved he was indeed, not alright.

"I'll be fine." Harry replied hastily wiping the tears from his face before walking through the barrier.

"I don't believe you." Elizabeth stated as she too came through the barrier.

"I just want to be left alone." Harry sighed as he turned to look at Elizabeth, "But I thank you."

XXX

Harry sat alone in the last compartment. He had no desire to let anyone see how weak he was, even Elizabeth. He had felt some of his wounds break open when he fell, but he could fix that later, right now he just wanted to let it all go. He wanted to know why Ron and Hermione were acting the way they were. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was before the tournament, before Voldemort came back, before he was afraid for his life when he stayed at Privet Drive. Maybe this year was just going to be like the summer, painful.

Elizabeth sat in a compartment near the middle of the train with her housemates. Many of them were surprised to see her since she never rode the train to school. Despite the fact that she was surrounded by her friends, her mind was not there. Instead, it was wandering like it had tended to do over the holiday.

She was worried about Harry, and the way he had reacted to Weasley's shove. It all seemed to point to her theory that Harry had been abused. His face had been filled with shock and his eyes had contained an unfathomable pain. The fact that he was still shaking only enhanced the thought.

"I'll be back." Elizabeth told Blaise as she rose from her place by the window. She had to get rid of the heart clenching feeling she had in her chest, and the only way that she was going to manage that was going to find Harry. It was much to Elizabeth's displeasure that Granger and Weasley had reached Harry before she had, and more or less made up like a married couple.

XXX

Harry refused to look at Ron for any length of time, sure he said he forgave him, but that didn't mean that the pain just went away. This was the one and only time he wished that they had not come to sit with him; he couldn't stand being with them at the moment. He wished Elizabeth was in there. At least she wouldn't pretend that everything was just fine and dandy, instead she would sit there and listen or simply let him seek comfort on her shoulder. She just seemed to be family, and no one else had ever made him feel that way before.

Author's notes:

I hope you guys like this chapter; I know it seems kind of a shock.


	9. Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

XXX

Elizabeth paid no attention to what anyone was saying anymore, not since she had seen that Weasley had managed to get Harry to forgive him. She felt as if Ron took Harry for granted, especially when it came to something like that. But then again she figured that's the way Gryffindor's were, forgiving no matter what which irked her to no end.

"Are you going to sit there or are you going to change?" The question pulled her out of her reverie, she had no idea that the sun had already set and that the train was slowing down. Was this the way things were going to be now? Was she always going to be worrying about Harry? Was this year going to change her life forever?

The cool air of the platform seemed to clear her clouded thoughts, for the moment anyway. She scanned the crowd for any signs of Harry, to no avail. For the moment, she pushed the boy from her mind. It was time for a well-needed reunion.

XXX

Harry couldn't help but feel better as the sound of the crowd drowned out Ron and Hermione's voices. He wished he could find Elizabeth and talk to her. However, that would have to wait as he felt himself pulled into the nearest carriage by the two people he wanted a break from.

The confined space made him uncomfortable, especially since he was so close to Ron that their knees almost touched. As soon as the carriage halted in front of the school, Harry flung open the door and rushed out as if there was something unpleasant within. The boy paid no attention to the fact that Ron and Hermione were calling his name. He just had to get away from them, and fast. He didn't know how much more he could take.

Harry's emerald orbs scanned the Slytherin table as he walked into the Great Hall. He wanted to see Elizabeth, he wanted to talk to her, but when he saw where she was his heart dropped. There she sat in the middle of the table, Draco Malfoy to her left and Pansy Parkinson to her right. It seemed that Ron and Hermione were right, she was one of them. Just like every other Slytherin, a liar, a manipulator, an actor.

XXX

Elizabeth looked up from her place at the table in search of Harry. He looked hurt, and she couldn't blame him. There she was, his friend, sitting between the two people that had taken the duty of tormenting him. But her relationships with in her house would not change the way she felt about him, and she would tell him that, when they were alone.

Through the sorting it seemed like she was the only one who noticed the depressed look on the Gryffindor's face and the gleam of pain that ran through his gorgeous eyes. It was almost painful to watch as he was ignored by his so called friends and housemates. Apparently they had no idea what was going on in Harry's life. In fact, as far as most people knew, he lived with his relatives and nothing else.

"Are you here today?" The question, again, pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah why wouldn't I be, Blaise?" Elizabeth asked as she focused on the male in front of her. It seemed her thoughts about Harry would have to wait until dinner was over.

"You are so quiet today. It's unnatural." Her fellow Slytherin replied as he examined her with his dark eyes.

"I am perfectly fine." Elizabeth lied, she wasn't fine, she just wanted this to be over, she wanted to see her father and she wanted to talk to Harry.

XXX

She should have been like everyone else and made her way down to the dungeons when the feast was over. However, Elizabeth made her way up to the seventh floor, she wanted to talk to Harry, she wanted to explain, she didn't want to be like everyone else.

"Hey, Harry." Elizabeth called when she noticed he was just a few steps in front of her, his head was drooped and he walked slowly as if he was mulling things over in his mind. "Can I talk to you? Please."

Harry turned and stared at Elizabeth, his pale cheeks were tear stained and his green eyes puffy and red. He had been crying.

"I thought you said nothing would change between us?" Harry questioned, his voice hoarse as Elizabeth closed the gap between them.

"And nothing will." Elizabeth stated. "I only hang around that part of the table because that's where my friend is, but I would never let my house mates come between you and I." Harry stood there for a minute, gauging to see if her words were true. When he found nothing but honesty the horrid feeling that had consumed him earlier faded a bit.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, despite the truth he found, he wanted to be sure.

"Yes, I'm sure. If I wasn't I would not be standing here." Elizabeth replied as she grasped Harry's hand. "Like I said, I will always be there. Whenever you want to talk just come and find me."

Harry nodded his head, he understood, but he just wanted to double check. It wouldn't have been the first time he had been hurt by people he cared about.

"I understand that it's hard to believe me, and I don't blame you. But please trust me." Elizabeth stated softly. "Just trust me."

Harry only nodded again before turning and making his way to the Gryffindor common room, leaving Elizabeth on the stairs alone.

"Really?" Elizabeth asked to no one. "And I thought dad was hard to deal with."

XXX

Elizabeth breathed in slowly as she pushed open the door. Everything was just as she remembered: the soft scents of potions, the fire and candle lit sitting room, and of course, Severus.

Elizabeth smiled as she closed the door; her father was less than ten feet away from her. The normal scowl on his face was gone, replaced by the same small smile he had given her the day Dumbledore had taken her away.

The fourteen year old didn't say a word as her father closed the gap between them, and she certainly didn't mind the fact that he pulled her into his warm arms. The moment seemed to be something from those romance movies they hated so much, but it felt good to be in those safe warm arms instead of being at the mercy of Gryffindors.

"I missed you." Elizabeth stated as she stood there. She could feel her father laugh lightly in response to her words.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Severus replied as they broke away. He looked a bit older, but was none the less he was the same. And Elizabeth loved that about him, no matter what happened he was still the same.

"Just promise me something, Dad." Elizabeth said as she sat on the leather couch with him, "Never send me back there. Ever." Severus peered over at Elizabeth as she examined the fire; a look of curiosity marred his face. "Worst experience ever. I mean, even sending me to Gram's would have been better."

XXX

Author's Notes: Another chapter done and in my opinion, the worst yet but I hope u like it.


	10. First day surprise

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

XXX

Harry felt too ashamed to fall asleep again, his body ached from the trashing around and his throat was sore from the screaming he had done as he relived one of the many beatings he had received over the summer. Nevertheless, Harry was glad that none of the other boys had complained about him waking them up, instead they just gave him looks of pity and went back to sleep. It only made him feel worse, being embarrassed because you had a nightmare was one thing, but getting pity because of it was another.

Harry sighed as he lay against his pillows, the embarrassment slowly leaking away as he felt himself relax, not enough to fall asleep, but just enough for him to feel comfortable. For the first time he wanted to be somewhere other than Hogwarts, back at Grimmauld place where he could at least speak to Elizabeth while Ron and Hermione decontaminated the house. Maybe he should have told her his secret. Maybe telling someone would stop the nightmares.

XXX

The Great Hall wasn't as lively as it was the night before. The usual loud conversations were nothing but a dull roar as Harry entered. He was exhausted, he had managed to stay awake until the alarm clock went off, but now he wasn't so sure that skipping sleep was a good idea. As long as he could make it to the end of the day, he knew he would be fine.

XXX

Elizabeth felt as if her chest would explode. She had wanted to tell her father about what she thought about Harry's home life, but in the end she just couldn't. She didn't think she could handle it if her father rejected her theory but she knew that if and when she had enough evidence to prove it, it would hit him hard. He knew how it felt to be abused and he did his best to keep it out of his house, but what would he do if the Boy-Who-Lived endured the same pain his snakes did? There was only one way to answer that, but she would have to wait until the time was just right, for timing was everything.

"You're doing it again Elizabeth." Blaise Zabini stated as he flashed his hand in front of his friend's face.

"Sorry, Blaise." Elizabeth murrmured as she snapped out of her thoughts, all of the typical sounds of the Great Hall finally registering.

"You alright?" Blaise asked as he gave the girl a questioning look over the piece of paper in his hands.

"Yep, perfect." Elizabeth lied, the words rolling off of her tongue with practiced ease. The last thing she wanted was for her other classmates to know who she was thinking about.

"I don't believe you." Zabini replied as he gracefully placed his schedule on the table.

"Then I don't know what to tell you." Elizabeth said as she tore her eyes away from the boy in front of her to see Harry walking in behind Weasley and Granger. It was apparent that Harry was tired as he moved almost listlessly to the empty space at the Gryffindor table. Yet again it seemed as though she was the only one to notice his strange behavior. The urgency in finding out what really happened in the teen's home life became more pronounced, the only problem now was getting Harry to talk about it.

XXX

"Mind if I sit here?" The all too familiar voice questioned making Harry turn around to see Elizabeth standing beside the empty chair to his right.

"No, not at all." Harry replied as he smiled a bit, he had been hoping that she would sit by him. He wanted to talk to her, even if it was while they made some complicated potion.

"You seem tired." Elizabeth noted as she took the chair next to him with. She seemed to be at ease despite the rest of the room's stares. Even Professor Snape seemed to be surprised to see one of his snakes sit next to the Golden Boy. But for once Harry didn't mind the stares. For once they were for something he enjoyed: Elizabeth's company. Harry couldn't help but smirk as he watched Elizabeth ignore all the questioning stares she received from their fellow peers. She was right; nothing was going to change between them, even in class. She wasn't going to only sit by her house; she was going to give the interhouse relationship a try, even in public.

"She's definitely a Death Eater." Ron stated as the bell rang and Elizabeth joined her friends in the corridor. "She probably told them that she got to know you and now she's spying on you."

"Come off it." Harry replied as he felt his temper flare up. "You don't know her so just stop with all the accusations. "

"It's not that, Harry. " Hermione said as they walked to transfiguration. "It's just that we don't really know her."

"You don't know her because you don't want to." Harry muttered. "You just don't like the fact that she's different from the typical Slytherin and you use the Death Eater thing to explain her behavior." Harry felt proud of himself as he watched Hermione become flustered at him and his statements, but they deserved to know how he felt when he talked about the girl that had just risked everything on the first day back for him.

XXX

"Are you sure you are fine?" Blaise asked Elizabeth as they walked behind Malfoy and his gang of goons.

"Yes, Blaise, I am fine." Elizabeth replied. She, like her father, didn't enjoy explaining herself.

"So why did you sit next to Potter?" Malfoy's voice came from in front of them, making Elizabeth feel even more uneasy.

"Because I felt like it." Elizabeth said with a smirk as the blond boy in front of her stopped and turned to face her.

"You felt like it?" Malfoy sneered as he stared at Elizabeth skeptically. "I suppose we can't expect anymore from a supposed to be fourth year."

"You're just upset because I did something you utterly failed to do." Elizabeth stated calmly. "And so what if I am still fourteen? Last time I checked I was still smarter than you and Pansy fused together."

"You better watch yourself, _Brooks_, if not you'll be sorry." Malfoy stressed Elizabeth's last name, making her roll her hazel eyes. This was certainly nothing new for Draco had always tried to bully her into following him, even when they were little.

"Sometimes I forget who you are," Blaise whispered to Elizabeth as they continued on to their next class, this time out of Draco's earshot.

"That's fine" Elizabeth answered, "considering very few people know I am the descendant of our great potion's master."

XXX

Author's notes: another chapter completed. And I promise soon that you get to know what that lovely letter says.


	11. The Letter

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

XXX

Something was utterly wrong, and Elizabeth was going to find out what it was, no matter what. The intense urge she had to just pry the truth from the boy she had befriended had immensely increased as she observed him over the next few days. It didn't take long to realize that Harry didn't eat much and that he spent most of his meals simply pushing the food around on his plate. Every now and again he would flinch when someone moved or spoke too loudly.

He had changed since they had left Grimmauld Place a week before. It seemed strange, but then again it could have been the change of settings that triggered the behavior that seemed to support Elizabeth's theory. Or maybe the reactions were always there and she had simply never noticed it. Just like everyone else. Somehow he had managed to conceal everything just below the brave Gryffindor mask he always wore in an attempt to keep that part of his life hidden away so no one would ever know. Then again, maybe he just wanted someone to piece it together and save him like anyone else would.

XXX

Harry sat alone in the Library; a stack of books littered the table as he attempted to do his homework. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration as he gave up half way through his potion's essay, his head hurting. Not only did he not posses any real desire to do the assignments he had been given, but he desperately needed some time to just sit down and think.

He really wanted to tell someone about his problem, but he just didn't know how. All the previous attempts he made had blown up in his face and he had ended up worse for wear. After a while he had simply given up. But now he wanted to try again, he didn't want the barrier of secrets that had been between him, Ron, and Hermione to come between him and Elizabeth. For some reason he trusted her, he had no idea why, but he did.

After sighing deeply, Harry closed all of the books in front of him and put them away. He no longer wished to work on his mountain of assignments. Instead, he wanted to find Elizabeth and tell her everything. Everything he felt, all of the secrets he kept from everyone else; everything,

XXX

Elizabeth was now completely and utterly annoyed as she made her way up to the Headmaster's office. She had no real desire to be in the presence of the man that made her spend the majority of her summer in a place that was worse than treating her father after a brutal Death Eater meeting.

Slowly Elizabeth walked down the corridor, her mind now racing, thinking about what the ancient wizard possibly had to talk to her about. Maybe it would be about her friendship with Harry, or be something a bit more serious, like her father. But, whatever it was about, she knew she would not like the outcome.

Much to Elizabeth's displeasure, she reached the headmaster's office all too quickly. Once she reached the Gargoyles that lead up to the Headmaster's office, instead of shouting the password obnoxiously like she had the sudden urge to do, she merely whispered the word that allowed her entrance. After a deep breath, she was just about to ascend the spiral staircase, but stopped at the sound of someone shouting her name. As the Slytherin turned she was surprised to see Harry dashing towards her, nearly crashing in to the younger girl.

"Elizabeth! I need to talk to you." Harry panted once he had stopped in front of her.

"Can it wait Harry?" Elizabeth asked as she glanced back at the staircase, "I'm supposed to see Dumbledore about something."

"Mind if I join you?" Harry asked, making it apparent that what he had to tell her was very important.

"I don't mind." Elizabeth replied as she turned around and began her ascent of the stairs with Harry close behind.

XXX

Albus was surprised, yet pleased, when Elizabeth walked in with Harry close behind. It was quite apparent by the look on her face that she had not expected her father to be there as well.

"Thank you for coming, Elizabeth," Dumbledore greeted as the two teens approached. "And you as well Harry, my boy."

"Can you hurry this up Albus?" Severus voiced as he glared at the headmaster in ill concealed annoyance. "I have things I wish to accomplish this afternoon, and spending all my time in here isn't going to help!"

"I was getting to that Severus." Albus replied calmly, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. Slowly the ancient wizard withdrew an old worn envelope from his top desk drawer and held it out for the Potion's Master who looked at it apprehensively before taking it.

It was obvious that the dark man recognized the neat script that marred the front of the envelope, and after a moment of hesitation, he opened it. The neatly folded paper within the yellowed envelope came open easily as he unfolded it and began to read.

XXX

Severus breathed in deeply as he allowed his onyx eyes to carefully take in every word that was scrawled upon the aged parchment.

_Severus,_

_I wished to tell you this in person, but I am afraid that I will never get the chance. So it may be best just to tell you now. The proclaimed son of James Potter and I is in fact the son of you and I. I understand this is a shock to you but it is the truth. When I left you I was already pregnant, and James was kind enough to agree to marry me. Despite the fact that Harry may look like James, due to a blood adoption, I would be pleased if you were a part of his life, Severus._

_Sincerely, _

_Lily _

Severus stared at the paper in his hands, dumbfounded. Slowly he tore his eyes away from the parchment and looked at the Gryffindor that stood by his daughter. It seemed impossible; Harry couldn't be his son, could he? The boy was nothing like him, but then again Elizabeth was nothing like him either. With unsteady hands, the Potion's Master handed the letter to Dumbledore, who too scanned it carefully, and read it aloud in a crisp, clear voice.

XXX

Harry felt his heart stop, plummet, and explode as Dumbledore read the letter aloud. Any and all emotions he felt shrank away and any eagerness he had to finally tell, died as he let it sink in. It seemed entirely impossible that the man that hated him so much was actually his father, but then again it had seemed impossible for Voldemort to come back as well. Slowly everything that he knew, or at least thought he knew, disintegrated around him. Everything he thought he knew about his past was a lie, hell, he himself was a lie.

Elizabeth stood frozen on the spot, her heart felt as if she had just run a marathon. It just seemed so unreal. Then again the fact that Harry was her brother did explain why she felt the way she did about him, why she trusted him.

"Sir, this does mean Harry and I are brother and sister, right?" Elizabeth asked, hating the way her voice sounded and hating the way Harry looked at her even more. She had never thought of confiding in the Gryffindor about who her father was, but she had also never thought that it was really necessary either.

"Yes, I do believe it does Elizabeth," Dumbledore replied in his all too calm voice that could drive any person insane if subjected to long periods of exposure. This had certainly changed everything from the war to their personal lives; everything was going to be different.

Elizabeth took note of the way Harry slowly backed away from them, shaking in disbelief, and within seconds the Gryffindor had turned and sprinted out of the door. The Slytherin couldn't blame the boy for his reaction. If she was in his place she would have done the same thing.

XXX

Severus just couldn't keep himself up anymore and so he slowly sank into the nearest chair. He was in utter disbelief as he attempted to finally grasp the fact that the boy who had just bolted from the large, spacious office was his. Harry was his child just as much as Elizabeth was, and that scared him. After a moment of gathering his bearings, he finally glanced up at his daughter, but received nothing from her impassive face.

"Go find him." Severus ordered in a very uncharacteristic voice that would have disturbed anyone that had heard it. Severus watched as Elizabeth exited the room, waiting a few minutes before standing up.

"This was a hell of a time to do this." Severus replied in his normal, controlled cold voice. "You should have done this years ago instead of waiting until the worst possible moment in all of our lives."

"I had no choice, Severus." Albus replied as he looked at the stoic man before him.

"Yes, you did." Severus replied as his voice slowly rose. "Hell only knows how long you had that damn thing."

"I did it to protect Elizabeth." Dumbledore explained as if he was looking for a plausible excuse.

"Don't blame her for something you had control of." Severus growled as he turned and stalked out of the room, slamming the door with all of his might. Everything just seemed to be falling apart all at once.

XXX

Author's Notes:

I am so sorry it took forever to update, some family things occurred and I just couldn't find the time to write. Anyway a big thanks to my friend and Beta Hpgirl4ever.


	12. Harry's secret

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

XXX

Harry felt his heart keep in time with his pounding feet as he sprinted down the corridor. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and the headmaster: the man that had the secret that had just changed his life forever.

He didn't have to stay at the Dursleys' for all of those years, his father was alive, and Dumbledore knew it. But the question was why? Why did he want him at the Dursleys'? Why didn't he give the letter to Snape sooner? Why did everything have to happen to him? Harry stopped abruptly as these questions whirled around his already spinning head; slowly he leaned his back against the wall and slid down until he was sitting flat against the cool tiled floor, totally unaware of the person that stood less than three feet away from him.

X

It was much harder than it seemed as Elizabeth stood motionless in the middle of the hallway. To any onlooker, this next course of action to take might have been simple: just walk up and strike conversation, but it just wasn't that easy. Harry had only moments ago received the shock of his life, and was bound to be upset by the fact he had been betrayed, not just by Dumbledore, but by her as well making the situation anything but simple. It seemed as if time stood still as Elizabeth inched closer to the boy that sat in front of her, but it wasn't long until she too slid down the wall, taking a seat next to Harry.

"Harry?" Elizabeth asked softly, gaining the boy's attention. She wanted to make sure he knew she was there. "Harry, we need to talk."

"What is there to talk about?" Harry demanded his voice hoarse and broken as he spoke. "About how you decided that there was no need to tell me who you are?"

"You know this has nothing to do with me." Elizabeth replied as she redirected her gaze to the Gryffindor beside her. "Harry, I understand that you're hurt, but I want to help you."

"No, you don't understand how I feel." Harry snapped, his voice filling with anger as he finally looked up at the girl next to him. "You will never understand how I feel unless you've lived with my relatives. You've always had someone to care about you, so don't tell me you 'know how I feel'. YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO BE UNLOVED, STARTVED AND BEATEN!" Elizabeth started up at Harry, who now stood above her, with disbelief. The boy had confirmed her theory in a matter of seconds, in a flash of anger he had revealed his home life.

It only took him a fraction of a second to realize what he had said as he gazed down at Elizabeth. He had wanted to tell her, but not like that. He'd just been so consumed by his emotions it slipped out during his rant. It just seemed to be the day for the truth to come out.

"Harry?" Elizabeth's voice came easily as she stood up, the stern look that had been there moments before disappeared as she reached his eye level. "Harry, are you alright?"

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to lose it, I promise." Harry stammered as he felt Elizabeth grasp his arms above the elbows. It wasn't long before he realized he was trembling, and soon the tears he had held back for so long broke through the dam and spilled out onto his cheeks, running down his now pale face.

He knew he looked pathetic as he cried like a five year old, but he just couldn't help it. Gradually Harry felt the pressure on his arms decrease and then disappear all together, and just as he thought Elizabeth had left, he felt himself being pulled into an embrace.

"It'll be alright." Elizabeth's voice echoed as she rubbed circles on Harry's back. "I promise I will do what I can to keep you with me. I won't let you go back to those people, Harry, I promise."

X

Elizabeth felt as if she had been hit by a train as she stood there with Harry in her arms. He had confirmed her presumption about his life outside of school, and to be honest, it kind of scared her. Yeah she had wanted him to open up and tell her about it, but it was upsetting to know that she was right. In an instant she felt her mind began to race, the truth was coming out and now there would be more problems and obstacles in the way for both of them, but if everything went the way she hoped it would, then they could address them together.

"Harry, do you want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked as she allowed him to pull away, letting him dry his eyes.

"Not at the moment." Harry whispered, his voice hoarse from crying. "I don't think it's the best moment to burden you with this. You have other problems to deal with right now, as do I."

"Harry-" Elizabeth began but was cut off as Harry raised his hand.

"Elizabeth, not right now." Harry said impatiently, he just didn't feel like himself. He was glad he said something, yet guilty at the fact that he had just dumped it on Elizabeth's shoulders, especially after what they had heard. "I just need some time to think."

Elizabeth stared at Harry for a moment, it was perfectly clear that it was a hard subject for him, and she wasn't going to push it. So instead, she let him go, allowing him to silently walk away with his thoughts and feelings swirling around him like a hurricane. She would give him some time to clear his head. There was really no need to force him to do something that he didn't want to do, especially if he was anything like_ their_ father.

Xxx

For once in his life, Severus Snape had no notion of what he should do. He had sent Elizabeth off to find the boy to earn him some alone time, sometime to think and sort out the thoughts that kept fading in and out of his consciousness.

A part of him wanted to step up to the plate and be the father that the boy never had, but another part of him just wanted to ignore the fact that Harry was his son and continue to believe he was the offspring of his sworn enemy: James Potter; and go one with his life. However, he would have to weigh each option carefully, and he would have to keep the information he had just discovered a secret, not only for the safety of himself but for Elizabeth and the boy as well. It seemed that this year had just got harder.

Author's notes: Here is the next chapter. I Summer homework to tackle, but I will update am so sorry if it sucks but I haven't been feeling well and I have ASAP_._


	13. Outburst

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

XXX

It became very clear very fast that her father was not going to talk about Harry, at all, and that made everything a bit complicated. Elizabeth wanted to tell him about what Harry had told her in the hallway more than anything, but every time she mentioned the Gryffindor's name he would quickly change the subject. His actions made it painfully clear to Elizabeth that he had no intentions of accepting Harry into his life. It hurt her to know that, but overall she decided it didn't really matter if he ever came around regardless because Harry was still her brother and she was determined to help him. But before she went truly on her own with this, she was going to try to sway her father one more time.

"Dad?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly as she stood in the doorway to his office, causing him to glance up from the paper he was unmercifully grading.

"What is it Liz?" Severus asked with a sigh, setting down the paper and directing his attention to his daughter.

"I was wondering if we could talk." Elizabeth said, idly looking at the specimen jars that lined the shelves on the wall.

"About what?" Severus asked, even though he had a notion of just where the conversation was headed.

"About Harry." Elizabeth answered immediately.

"There is nothing to talk about." Severus stated, earning a sharp glance from his daughter.

"There is plenty to talk about." Elizabeth said, exasperated as she walked a bit closer. "Dad, you can't ignore him."

"I am not ignoring him." Severus replied, sounding irritated as he gazed up at Elizabeth. "I just don't have the time to deal with him at the moment."

"You don't care." Elizabeth snapped, taking the hint. "I bet if he was one of us you would. But he's not so you don't, and that makes you no better than Tobias. He didn't care either and that's why you are the way you are. You have the opportunity to be the father he wasn't to your own son, and he's throwing it away. It makes me wonder if you feel the same way about me."

XXX

Severus sat there starring at his daughter, stunned. He had not expected her to continue, let alone compare him to his abusive father, and that hurt, but the fact that she questioned whether he cared for her hurt worse. He didn't think that his recent behavior toward Harry would make her feel that way. And her sudden outburst gave him the impression that there was another reason for that. But before he could find his ask, Elizabeth turned on her heel and stormed out of his office, leaving him alone with her words to echo in his head.

XXX

There was no way to explain the feelings that Elizabeth possessed as she rushed up to the Entrance Hall. She had not expected to snap, but it had just happened, and she wasn't sorry. Severus had a right to know the way she felt about his actions over the last few days, and if snapping at him would get him to pay attention and help Harry, then she would do just that. With a deep sigh, Elizabeth headed out toward the grounds. She had no intention of seeing her father if he attended dinner that night. She would deal with his temper later, but at the moment she needed to get her heart rate back to normal.

The vast forest green lawns seemed to calm her nerves as she roamed around in the dying golden rays of the sun. As she gradually approached the Black Lake, she realized she was not the only one who had decided to skip dinner that night.

The boy sat along the shore, his knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. His messy black hair stood in every direction, and the normally neutral look on his face was replaced with sadness. It appeared that Harry Potter was not having the best of days.

"Why do you look so miserable Harry?" Elizabeth asked as she came up from behind, making him jump.

XXX

Harry was surprised when he looked behind him to find Elizabeth. He hadn't expected to see her at all considering they hadn't spoken in more than a week. But nevertheless he was happy to see her. In fact, it was more or less the highlight of his day.

"It's nothing." Harry replied as he watched Elizabeth slowly sit down next to him, as if afraid that another outburst would drive him away again.

"Harry, don't say it's nothing, because it's not." Elizabeth said as she turned to face the Gryffindor. "Harry nothing you say is going to drive me away."

"It already has." Harry answered as he felt his heart stop for a moment as his mind replayed the week that had followed their discussion in the hallway. And, if he had to admit to himself, it seemed to be pretty lonely without her there.

"You didn't drive me away." Elizabeth stated firmly as she placed one hand on his shoulder. "I just thought you wanted sometime to yourself. I didn't mean to give you the impression that I no longer wanted to be around."

Harry said nothing; instead he turned his gaze toward the lake's shiny surface and watched the water dance in the remaining sunlight.

"I just thought what I told you made you disgusted with me." Harry whispered more to himself than anyone else. "And that you didn't want to be around me because of it."

"There is nothing that would make me not want to be around you." Elizabeth replied as she placed a hand under Harry's chin and made him look at her. "Nothing will change between you and I, in fact, we should be closer than ever considering what we discovered."

Harry pondered her words for a moment, and he knew she was right, nothing would change between them, and whatever bond they had would grow stronger, but he wasn't completely convinced just yet.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, his voice conveying his skepticism; he wanted to be completely sure she wanted to burden herself with his problems. But then again, he already had when he let it slip he was abused.

"If I wasn't sure I wouldn't have said it." Elizabeth confirmed as she gazed into Harry's green eyes. The emerald orbs spoke volumes to her as she searched their depths. And despite the fact that she had no skills in Legilimency she could tell he had actually been feeling horrid for days. "Now, tell me why do you look so miserable?"

"Because I am miserable, Elizabeth." Harry said in a low voice. "My friends don't approve of me hanging out with you, I felt horrid because I believed I drove you away by practically screaming at you . . .and I know that he will never accept me."

XXX

Elizabeth was surprised to hear that Harry believed that he had driven her away, but she was even more surprised by the fact that he was worried about their father accepting him as a son.

"He will Harry, he will." Elizabeth reassured the Gryffindor as she squeezed his shoulder. "Just give the man some time; he needs time to grasp the concept of having another child."

At Harry's wary nod of understanding she continued "It's getting late, we should head back to the castle."

Elizabeth allowed Harry to lead the way back to the school. The once golden rays of the sun had now faded into a dim light that was not much stronger than a weak _lumos_, but it was enough to allow them to see where they were going.

They walked in a comfortable silence that seemed to put their worries at ease for the moment, even if the moment would be destroyed when they walked into the Entrance Hall. It was much to their great relief when they discovered that dinner had already ended and the halls where devoid of people.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Elizabeth announced once they reached the bottom steps of the Grand staircase.

"Alright" Harry stated as he began the trek up to the seventh floor. His voice a bit lighter than it had been earlier making Elizabeth hope it would stay that way. However, deep down she knew it wouldn't, it never seemed to lately. Sooner or later she would fix that, but first she needed to go and sort things out with the only thing she had: her father.

Her footsteps echoed off of the cold stone walls as she made her way down into the maze of corridors that she had come to call home. Elizabeth's heart pounded against her chest painfully as she imagined what the potion's master was going to say to her when she arrived at the entrance to the private chambers they shared.

She knew her father would be angry at her for being disrespectful and raising her voice at him. At the time it had seemed like the perfect idea, but now . . . not so much. Elizabeth's pace gradually declined as she began to approach the door that would contain the enraged dragon that was her father.

With a deep breath, the Slytherin slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside, all the while anticipating the explosive yell that would unleash at least a portion of her father's anger. However, nothing of the sort came, instead, there was silence. . . Dead silence between them.

"Dad?" Elizabeth questioned, breaking the quiet as she located the man in his chair by the roaring flames feet away. "Is everything alright?"

XXX

"Everything is fine dear." Severus replied as he looked up from the book he was reading. He already knew Elizabeth expected him to be angry with her, but he wasn't in the mood to scream. In fact, he really wasn't in the mood to be angry at all.

He knew she was right, he couldn't just ignore Harry and act like he didn't care for the boy. But he was still torn between the two sides that had presented themselves earlier. Yes, he did want to step up and be the boy's father, but then again he just wished to continue believing the child was the bane of his existence's and turn a blind eye. But either way he chose, it would be a decision that changed his life, for good.

"But, we do need to talk, Elizabeth."


	14. Changing his Mind

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as those words reached her ears, for that particular phrase only signaled bad news. And considering the lack of a good tongue lashing from the potion's master when she entered less than five minutes ago, she figured she had a reason to have such an overwhelming feeling.

"I believe this would be easier if you had a seat child." Severus stated, pulling Elizabeth from her musings. Gradually the young Slytherin closed the gap between her and the man that raised her, and it wasn't long until she sunk into the soft leather chair that faced the professor.

"S-so what do you want to talk about?" Elizabeth asked after a few moments of silence passed between them.

"I believe it might be best if we discuss my behavior over the past few days." Severus replied, Elizabeth cocking an eyebrow in surprise. It was unusual for the normally private man to be so open about his actions.

"Alright." Elizabeth agreed as she felt some of the dread slowly evaporate from her being.

"First of all there are some things you need to understand, Elizabeth." Severus began as he folded his hands in his lap. "You must understand that this is not easy for me. I cannot simply forget all those years of hatred toward the boy in just a short amount of time. . . . "

"However, you can't take forever to get over it either." Elizabeth interrupted as she thought back to the conversation she had had with Harry in the hallway. "It's not one of those things you can forget about, it won't go away. He'll always be there."

"Elizabeth, you're making this difficult." Severus said, annoyance lacing his tone, apparently he didn't enjoy being interrupted.

"How am _I_ making this difficult father?" Elizabeth questioned as she looked him dead in the eyes. "I am not the one that refuses to move forward, to accept the fact that Harry is a part of this family. That's all you're doing. I understand that the transition may be difficult for you, dad, but you've dealt with much harder things in your life other than being a father to a teenager."

"You are not considering the risks.!" Severus shouted causing Elizabeth to jump several centimeters off her seat.

"The risk of becoming a potential target for the Dark Lord?" Elizabeth questioned as she attempted to regain some control over her heartbeat "Or is there some risk that I am unaware of? Because as far I know there is already a target on both of our backs so I doubt it matters.

Severus couldn't help but stare at Elizabeth as she gazed into the roaring fire that bathed the room with warmth. Silently, Severus mulled over Elizabeth's persistence on the topic that was Harry Potter. It was becoming clear to him that there was something being withheld from him, something that must have been important, especially if Elizabeth was reacting the way she was.

"Elizabeth is there anything you are not telling me?" Severus asked after what felt like a decade of silence.

"W-what do you mean?" Elizabeth stammered as she redirected her gaze toward her father.

"I mean is there anything I should know about?" Severus elaborated impatiently, carefully observing the array of different emotions that crossed his daughter's face.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't believe me if I told you." Elizabeth said solemnly as she finally tore her gaze away from the fire, "I mean, why would you, you're too busy with the war that's going on around and inside you to actually listen to what I have to say? Look at the conversation we just had, I can imagine it's tough Dad, but what if Harry had it much tougher, harder than a battle within one's self or with the Dark Lord?"

"What are you getting at?" Severus asked cautiously, despite the fact that he had a strong feeling of where this was headed.

"The real reason I've been shoving the topic of Harry at you is not because I just want you to shove everything aside, but because he needs help." Elizabeth stated "Dad, Harry's being abused."

Elizabeth's statement was met by silence. Judging by the look on her father's face, that was the last thing he had been expecting her to say. _Maybe that will help him make up his mind_ Elizabeth thought to herself as she sat and watched the numerous emotions flash across her father's ebony eyes.

"You're positive?" Severus asked moments later, his voice soft and full of disbelief.

"Yes." Elizabeth replied "He told me the day we found out he was your son, but I had some suspicion before then."

"Are you the only one that knows this?" Severus inquired.

"As far as I know, I am the only one he has told here at the school." Elizabeth answered, "However there is the possibility that he tried to tell someone before."

"And they did nothing to prevent it?" Severus asked, his tone faltering between uncaring teacher and protective father, but it was unclear which side was winning.

"By the way Harry spoke no one did anything to help him." Elizabeth answered quietly. "And in the conversation we just had he believed that I was avoiding him because I didn't care, but I told him otherwise."

"It's quite evident" Severus said. "Now, if you don't mind I need some time to think Elizabeth."

"Not at all." Elizabeth answered as she slowly rose from the chair; making her way to the door and into the hallway, more than happy to get away from the uncomfortable conversation she had gotten herself into.

"But it's for Harry's benefit." Elizabeth told herself quietly as she made her way to the common room. "Even if he kills me for telling."

XXX

Severus stared transfixed at the door his daughter had departed through; the conversation they had just finished starting to sink in deeper and deeper. Slowly as everything began to settle he allowed the half of him that _wanted _to care take over, he _was_ going to be the parent the boy needed, he _was_ going to step up and be the one person Harry needed.

'_The change is going to be gradual' _Severus thought to himself as he finally tore his gaze from the door. '_There would be too much suspicion if I altered my behavior toward Harry too quickly, and that in any case would be disastrous for all of us.'_

**Author's notes: I am not a huge fan of this chapter, but it was really important to have the fact that Elizabeth actually told her father what was happening in Harry's life considering how conflicted Severus was with the idea that Harry was his son**


	15. Discussions

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

AN: A big thanks to my amazing Friend and beta Hpgirl4ever

HP

There was nothing Harry could do to avoid being bombarded with questions as he entered the common room. He was in no mood to answer let alone put up with the millions of questions Ron and Hermione were shooting off faster than they could breathe. Instead, the youngest of the trio continued to make his way to the staircase that would lead him up to the silence and solitude he so desperately wanted at the moment.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice called out from somewhere behind him causing him to stop with his foot on the first step, the worry etched in her voice very apparent. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Mione. " Harry lied quickly, not wanting the questions to go on any longer than they needed to at the moment. "Just tired that's all."

"Alright." Hermione sounded uncertain and almost upset, but Harry wasn't going to turn around, afraid that it would lead to more interrogating questions that he would have to answer to get them off of his back. "We just wanted to make sure you're okay Harry."

With those final words, Harry bolted up the stairs at record speed, and was more than happy when he found the boy's dorm empty. The silence was relaxing as Harry fell ungracefully onto his four poster bed. His mind slowly wandered back to the conversation he had with Elizabeth down by the Black Lake.

It was good to know that he hadn't driven the younger girl away with the secret that even his best friends didn't know, but he still wasn't completely convinced that she would always be there for him. All of his past experiences told him not to believe her because in the end he always ended up worse for wear, everything was always worse when Uncle Vernon was confronted by a school nurse or a concerned teacher that wanted nothing but the best for him. But if only they knew how much worse they had made it, they would have stayed away. If they would have realized that the reason he had always been absent for a long period of time after was because they cared, because after they left, he would get the most horrendous beatings of his life.

EB

Elizabeth slowly made her way down the long cold corridor to the common room. The mixed feelings of hope and anxiety began to fade away as she began to relax. It felt good to have finally given up the secret she had been holding onto all week. However, that was only the first part to the problem, now came the second: transitioning from being the only child of the potion's master to being the younger sister of the boy-who lived, all without letting anyone on either side acknowledging what was taking place.

HP

The next morning found Harry walking down to the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione. He had no real desire to be in their company, but at the moment it was better than walking alone.

"Are you alright Harry?" Hermione asked after several moments of silence.

"Yeah." Harry lied. He wasn't alright, he had so many pent up feelings he felt as if he were going to explode. If only they were as easy to talk to as Elizabeth, Harry thought as he slowly descended the stairs. Why did Elizabeth have to be a Slytherin? Why couldn't Gryffindors and Slytherins get along? Why couldn't he just keep himself together? Why was Elizabeth the person he counted on the most? All of these questions raced through Harry's head as they entered. The Gryffindor paid little to no attention to where he was going, instead he allowed Ron and Hermione guide him as he searched the Slytherin table for any signs of his sister.

XXX

Elizabeth was finding it hard to concentrate on Blaise's words as she followed Harry with her eyes, it was obvious he was looking for her, making it somewhat apparent that he had not forgotten their conversation the night before.

"Are you feeling alright?" Blaise's voice rang in her ear, inevitably pulling Elizabeth out of her reverie.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Elizabeth questioned as she tore her eyes away from Harry to focus her attention on Blaise.

"Because you're staring at the Gryffindor Golden boy." Blaise stated before leaning in to whisper the words "Do the two of you have something going on?"

"We have nothing going on." Elizabeth said curtly, "unless being related means you have something going on."

"And if I don't believe you?" Blaise asked in a skeptical tone.

"Then that's your problem." Elizabeth smirked as she stole a quick glance at Harry who was playing with his food at the Gryffindor table. "Besides, why do you care? I thought you were perfectly happy with all of the decisions I made?"

"I am perfectly happy with all of the decisions you make up until the point you start falling head over heels for the 'Savior' of the wizarding world." Blaise replied as he shifted to the right, blocking Elizabeth's view. "Besides, it's annoying to hear Draco complain about you and your choice of company."

"But Draco always does that." Elizabeth smirked as she picked up her school bag and slung it over her shoulder. "No matter whom I'm with."

Hp

Harry watched Elizabeth as she made her way from the Slytherin table and out into the Entrance Hall. He knew that was his chance to get away from Ron and Hermione and talk to Elizabeth.

"I'll see you guys later." Harry said as he pushed himself away from the Gryffindor table and his half eaten breakfast.

"Harry, you haven't finished eating." Hermione pointed out as she looked up at Harry with questioning eyes.

"I'm not hungry." Harry answered honestly as he began to walk towards the doors.

"Where are you going?" Ron called after him, making Harry stop. There was no way he could say 'to hang out with Elizabeth' without getting angry remarks from both Gryffindors and several others as well. After all, who would want to hear that the Golden Boy was friends with a snake anyway?

"I need to work on my Transfiguration homework." Harry lied as he turned to look at his friends, hoping they bought it. Harry was more than relieved as he saw the satisfaction on Hermione's face and the questioning look on Ron's. Gosh, he was getting pretty good at this whole lying game, or so he thought.

As soon as Harry was out of the Great Hall he quickly scanned the Entrance Hall for any sign of Elizabeth. She was nowhere to be found. Harry felt his heart sink down to his stomach, he had been so happy to have a chance to spend time with her after a whole week, but the lack of her presence in the hall crushed that. It seemed like hours as he stood in the middle of the hall, lost in his thoughts and what appeared to be self pity.

"You look cute when you're upset." The voice he was hoping to hear echoed through the massive walls. "Then again seeing you upset bothers me." Slowly Harry turned himself around and found Elizabeth leaning against the wall that led to the dungeons.

XXX

Harry looked somewhat pitiful in Elizabeth's mind as she watched him silently from her place in the shadows. But she couldn't blame him for looking that way, especially with the direction his life had taken, and it had only gotten more complicated, but that's what she was for right? She was supposed to be the one that fixed all of his problems. The one that he confided in when things became too much to bear. She was supposed to be the sister he wanted, he needed.

"You look cute when you're upset." Elizabeth found herself saying as she moved out of the shadows, becoming more visible as Harry turned himself around. "Then again seeing you upset bothers me."

"That's one person." Harry muttered as he locked eyes with Elizabeth.

"Sometimes having one person to lean on is better than having too many people with no one to depend on." Elizabeth stated as she pushed herself away from the wall and closed the gap between them.

"Why couldn't we have met before all this?" Harry asked as he felt Elizabeth take his warm hand into her own.

"Who knows?" Elizabeth replied. "We can ponder that later; first we should go before anyone see's us."

XXX

Harry let Elizabeth to lead the way out to the grounds. He had no clue where she was taking him, but he really didn't care. He knew he was safe with her, no matter what Ron and Hermione said. They didn't understand what it felt like to be an outsider or that not every Slytherin was working for Voldemort or that Elizabeth was actually his family, someone he could lean on without worrying about the consequences of showing weakness.

"So what do you want to do?" Elizabeth asked, drawling Harry out of his musings.

"Can we just talk?" Harry asked in a low voice, as if ashamed by the suggestion.

"Sounds good to me." Elizabeth replied as she pulled Harry towards her before wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "I think we need to get to know each other a little better, what do you think?"

"I'd like that." Harry stated, in fact he loved the idea. It would give him a chance to relieve the pressure that was still in his chest and remove the world from his shoulders for just a little while. And he would even get to know his sister a little more in the process."

"Music to my ears." Elizabeth smiled as she looked at the boy she held in a one-armed hug. "Now why don't we find a private place to spend our day?"

XXX

Elizabeth felt herself smile as she began to lead the way down a familiar path. She wanted to take Harry somewhere special, somewhere she had spent her free time when she was a child, somewhere where her father showed he could be a human being, somewhere no one would find them.

"Do you feel any better?" Elizabeth asked as she glanced at the older boy next to her.

"Not really." Harry said honestly, feeling no reason to lie to the girl that he depended on.

"What's bothering you, besides your overbearing friends that won't let you breathe?" Elizabeth questioned as she removed her arm from around Harry's neck and allowed it to fall to her side.

"Lots of things." Harry murmured as he looked over at Elizabeth to see her staring back.

"Like what?" She persisted, genuinely interested.

"Like what's going to happen to me when my uncle finds out I told someone." Harry replied softly as if someone might overhear.

"He's not going to touch you." Elizabeth stated firmly as she, once again, grasped Harry's hand. "I promise. Dad and I will do what we can to protect you."

"Like your father cares about me?" Harry spat, anger evident in his eyes.

"He's your father too. And yes, he cares about you Harry." Elizabeth said, "I know he does, he might not say or show anything, but I think I know the man that raised me."

"How do you know that he'll help me?" Harry demanded, his voice rising as the continued to make their way down the path.

"Because I told him." Elizabeth snapped, causing Harry to stop in his tracks.

"You did what?" Harry's voice dropped down to its normal level, his sudden anger gone just as soon as it had flared.

"I told him." Elizabeth repeated as she stood just out of range of her brother's arms, just in case he wanted to throttle her. "I had to, he knows more than anything how you feel. He _can_ help you."

XXX

Authors Notes: OMG . . . So sorry it's been awhile since I have updated, but school has been getting in the way and I had tremendous writers block. Sorry it's not the best chapter, but it's kinda necessary.


	16. Confrontations

I don't own Harry Potter. . . Sadly

*EB*

Elizabeth found it difficult to contain herself as she examined the ground. Of course she had imagined that Harry would be upset with her, but she didn't think that it would hurt as much as it did.

"I was just trying to ensure that you would never have to return to those horrid people you call relatives." Elizabeth heard herself say, she was ashamed of the way her voice cracked with emotion. It was an oddly foreign sound, one that was filled with with pain, sorrow, and misery.

Silence followed her comment, but it didn't matter as she kept her head down, observing the forest green grass as it moved softly in the slight autumn breeze. She wanted Harry to know that he hurt her; he should have known she was only trying to help; she was only trying to ensure he had a better life than he already had.

Time moved by slowly as Elizabeth tried to keep her tears and emotions in check. The sound of rustling grass carried to her ears as Harry's shoes moved into her field of sight.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth." Harry's voice was now soft and sweet as he apologized while tenderly gripping her arms to make sure she didn't escape. And by the time Elizabeth attempted to pull away, Harry was so close she couldn't get away.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Harry whispered as he lifted her head so her eyes met his. "It's just when adults find out I usually get in trouble."

"So did you yell at everyone else? " Elizabeth snapped as she looked deeply into her brother's captivating emerald eyes, noting the hurt that flashed in them as her words struck him deep.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth." Harry stated as his voice broke and tears began to well in his eyes.

*HP*

Harry felt disappointed in the fact that he had hurt the one person that wanted to help him, and by the way the Slytherin responded, he had hurt her pretty badly. He had no intentions of raising his voice or screaming at Elizabeth, but he had been so worked up at the fact that she had told the man that had disliked him for the majority of his life his deepest secret. He just couldn't help it.

He could feel the tears that had begun to well up in his eyes fall, blurring his vision making Elizabeth look hazy and unfocused.

"Harry." Elizabeth's voice came softly from behind the blur. The harshness that once marred her voice was gone, leaving nothing but her usual loving tone behind. "Harry, Harry, please don't cry. I didn't mean to be so harsh. And as far as everything else goes, we'll work it out alright? Just please, please don't cry." No amount of Elizabeth's pleas could have stopped the sob that had built up in his throat and escaped when the Slytherin had completed her sentence. Harry could feel himself shake with every sob that wracked his frail body, and he was sure he would have fallen if he had not been holding on to his sister's arms.

"Oh Harry." Elizabeth's voice broke through the noise of his sobs and moments later he found himself being pulled toward the ground and the arms that he had been holding were being wrapped securely around him as he was pulled close, allowing him to rest his head on Elizabeth's shoulder.

Time passed by slowly as they sat there. Seconds seemed like hours and minutes like days though Elizabeth never let go. She remained as still as a statue with Harry's head on her shoulder, running her fingers soothingly through his hair while whispering words of comfort. After what seemed like a lifetime, Harry's tears had run dry, leaving him with nothing more than a headache and red, watery eyes.

Gradually the Gryffindor pulled himself away, drying his eyes on his sleeve as he went. He felt so weak for allowing himself to break down like that in front of the one person he was suppose to protect. Then again, how was he supposed to protect her if he couldn't even protect himself?

*EB*

An overwhelming sense of uselessness overtook Elizabeth as she sat there with Harry in her arms crying on her shoulder. There was nothing she could have done to stem the flow of hot tears that poured out of emerald eyes, down his face, and onto her sweatshirt. After awhile, Harry's tears stopped and he pulled away, wiping his eyes on his sleeve as he did so, his eyes now red and puffy.

"Your head hurt?" She asked as she smoothed back a strand of his messy black hair.

"Just a little." Harry responded as he looked into her face as if he was searching for some sort of resentment or disgust at his actions. By the way the look on his face changed to one of relief, he found none.

"Maybe we should head back to the castle." Harry voiced after several long beats of silence.

"If you want to." Elizabeth said as she played with the grass under her hand. She hadn't expected Harry's suggestion to return to the castle, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. If he wanted to go back then he could, but not without hearing her out first.

"I'm sorry this didn't work out Elizabeth." Harry said as he pushed himself to his feet. Making it apparent he no longer wished to talk to her.

"I thought we had made some progress, "she said as she too pushed herself up. " But if you want to go back to the castle and bottle everything up again. I guess that's fine. "

*HP*

It was apparent Elizabeth was not going to give up on the day so easily, despite the fact that it had been a decision they had both agreed on. He just didn't think learning more about one another was such a great plan anymore. Sure he wanted a new family, one with people that would love him, but that required telling secrets and telling secrets caused more harm than good. More pain than happiness. Besides, if he got too close to Elizabeth she would just be another person Voldemort could use against him.

With one final glance at Elizabeth he turned and began to make his way back to the castle. Sure it seemed wrong to leave her standing there alone, but he didn't know what else to do. He had ruined their plans by arguing with her over something that was going to be done sooner or later and he had only made the situation worse by breaking down at the moment she snapped at him.

Harry knew that running away from a problem was never a good idea, and neither was running out on the girl that was trying to help him, the one that saved his life, the one that was his sister. The one that also just so happened to be Professor Snape's little girl.

After a good five minutes he turned back to see Elizabeth sill standing where he had left her, she was standing so still that if he hadn't known any better he would have believed she was nothing more than a life like statue. After what seemed like hours of observing her and contemplating whether he should go back and sort things out, he turned on his heel and left.

Yes, he knew it was the chicken thing to do, but all his life he had been running from the pain, why should he stop now and face it? Harry continued to trek his way back to the castle alone, stopping occasionally to see if Elizabeth had followed suit, and by the lack of her presence, it was obvious she had not. He felt horrid for leaving her like that, but he couldn't face her, or his problems. He quickly made his way into the entrance hall and bounded up the stairs. He smiled somewhat despite himself, he was almost home free. That is, until someone called his name.

"What's the rush Potter?" The cold voice called from below, causing Harry's insides to clench together as he closed his eyes.


	17. Choices

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

"What's the rush Potter?" A cold voice called from below, causing Harry's insides to clench together as he closed his eyes.

He hated that tone of voice, he hated the way it rang in his ears as it echoed down the tiled corridors, but most of all he hated the pain that usually accompanied it.

Harry struggled to gulp down air as he attempted to calm himself down. He knew who that voice belonged to, and he knew he was safe, but it was hard for his mind to remember that.

"Is there a particular reason you're just standing there, Potter?" They asked as Harry remained glued to his spot.

"No sir." Harry responded as he made himself turn around to face the man who sounded so similar to his uncle.

"There has to be some reason Potter, and I fully expect one, or has all of that time with those dunderheads you call friends impeded your ability to respond?" Snape questioned as he quirked an eyebrow at Harry.

"No Sir." Harry replied as he tried to relax, but as he continued to watch his professor, he found it harder and harder to do.

"Very well" Snape barked after several moments of silence making Harry jump, "If you can't come up with a reason I'd nevertheless be interested in hearing the excuse you've no doubt come up with in the inevitability that you'd be caught breaking the rules as you are now."

"I-I do-don't ha-have one si-sir." Harry stuttered as he started to shake, fear beginning to consume him.

"Are you certain?" Snape asked as he advanced a step, causing Harry's insides to clench tighter. "You always have an excuse." despite being asked a question, Harry remained silent, grasped tightly in the clutches of depilating fear at the fact that his potions teacher was coming closer to him.

"Then again, you can get away with almost anything, can't you?"

'_Please Stop, Please!' _Harry screamed inside his head as Snape came ever closer. _'Please, Please, please, don't do this to me. Not here, not now!' _Harry was on the verge of tears when Snape came to a stop three paces away from him. By now he was violently trembling and his insides hurt from just the thought of the professor coming any closer than he already was. '_Please just stay there, please don't come any closer!' _He begged internally.

In a matter of seconds the gap between them was closed, and Snape was practically at eyelevel and just a few mere inches away as he stood on the step below him.

"Pl-pl-ple-please, do- don't hu-hurt m-me" Harry stammered out as he continued to violently shake.

*HP*

Severus stood there, dumbfounded at the boy's words. Sure Elizabeth had told him that the boy had been abused, but to what extent, he had not truly known, until that moment.

The Potion's Master felt his blood run cold as he observed the trembling teen. No one deserved to feel the way that boy did, no one. At that moment, Severus vowed to make sure that Harry would never go back to his current place of residence regardless of what anyone insisted otherwise.

He was going to make sure that _his_ son was safe. Cautiously, Severus grasped the terrified teen's arm and began to descend the stairs with the obviously damaged child in tow. There was no way in hell he was going to leave the boy standing up at the head of the stairs like that. He had enough practice with raising a child to know that you just don't leave them to their own devices when they were upset, hurt, or in this case terrified. It would only serve to make matters worse.

*HP*

Harry continued to stand paralyzed as he observed the man that stood so close to him. His heart rammed painfully inside his chest as he tried to figure out the man's reason for being so close was.

Usually when someone was that close to him they wanted to strangle him, belittle him, or beat him to the point of unconsciousness. As Harry wracked his brain for an excuse to escape, to get as far away as possible so he could gather his nerves and what was left of his pride and dignity, Snape raised his hand.

Without thinking Harry violently flinched as he prepared for the man's large hand to make contact with his body. Much to the teen's surprise, there was no blow, instead, the man that terrified so many students before him gently grabbed his arm and carefully tugged him down the steps. To anyone that was watching the scene it would have seemed perfectly normal to see the dark professor dragging a student downstairs for a punishment. But Snape wasn't pulling him down the stairs to the dungeons to punish him. As far as he knew, Snape was going to 'help' him.

The descent into the castle's dungeons was silent except for the sounds of their shoes hitting the tiled floor. If Snape had any comments, he kept them to himself, which was fine with Harry, who was still shaking.

He doubted if Snape started to verbally abuse him he would have stayed in one piece. If he freaked out simply from being confronted by the man for walking along the stairs, who would have known what would have happened if Snape would have actually tried to wound him with his comments.

Harry's musings were broken as the sound of a heavy door being shoved open rang in his ears. He really had not paid attention to where the man led him, he thought they were going to the office behind the potions classroom, but by the look of it, they were nowhere close to the classroom.

*SS*

Severus was relieved the boy followed him without putting up a fight. He knew the boy was still distraught by the incident on the staircase, but the Gryffindor seemed to keep everything together as he lost himself inside his head.

Once he came upon his private office, the Potions' Master whispered the password and shoved the heavy door open. As they entered Severus directed the still shaking boy to the nearest chair and ordered him to stay there as he went to his personal stores to fetch the appropriate potion of the child. It took several moments to locate the shimmering blue liquid that was commonly reserved for victims of the Cruciatus curse.

"I want you do drink this." Severus stated as he approached the boy again. "It will stop the shaking and calm you down." Harry said nothing as he took the vial from his professor and managed to swallow it without spilling.

"I'm sorry Sir." Harry said quietly a few moments later. The horrid trembling he had been experiencing slowly dissipated leaving him drained.

"What is there to be sorry for?" Severus found himself asking, in a somewhat comforting voice. "You did nothing wrong. Did you?"

"I panicked sir." Harry answered as he examined his worn out tennis shoes.

"There is no rule against panicking when you feel that it is necessary, Mr. Potter." Severus stated, '_I use to do that when I was your age_' he added silently to himself.

"Sir?" Harry asked as he slowly stood up from his chair, apparently he felt he was well enough to leave. "Why did you bring me down here?"

The Potions' Master felt his heart stop, how could he answer that question without being thought of as soft. Yes he wanted to help the boy out but you just don't discover that you are someone's father and start to smother them; one has to gradually ease themselves into their everyday life, like Elizabeth had.

"It saved me a trip." Severus replied as he looked at Harry. "I would have had to come down here to get you a calming draft if I had escorted you the Hospital Wing. And as much as I love being surrounded by teenagers I had no desire to race up and down flights of stairs to please Madam Pomfrey when I can do it myself."

"Oh." there was a tone of disappointment in the child's voice as he quickly drew his eyes away from the coldest teacher, aside from Professor Binns perhaps, Hogwarts had ever seen. "Well . . . Thank you Sir."

*HP*

Harry quickly bolted from the office as the first signs of tears appeared in his eyes. It seemed as if Elizabeth had been lying. The man had no desire to help him. He, just like the majority of people Harry had met, just wanted him to feel like the burden he was. Even thought he had not been paying attention, Harry managed to find his way out of the dungeons before his magnificent eyes began to cloud with water.

The ascent up to the seventh floor seemed shorter than normal, but Harry just attributed it to the fact that he was now silently crying. '_No one wants to help me'_ he thought as he moved from the landing towards the portrait. '_If they did wouldn't they just come out and say it?' _After several moments of gaining his composure, Harry whispered the password to the Fat Lady and slowly made his way up to his dorm where he laid down and allowed the rest of his tears to run free.

AN: I know it's been awhile, but I've been busy and lazy, and I wish to apologize. Anyway, I hope this was a decent chapter. Poor Harry


	18. Conclusions

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

_Before we start the next chapter, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who are following, have reviewed, or has added this story to their favorites. Your continued support makes this story possible._

*EB*

Elizabeth sighed as she doodled on the piece of parchment she was supposed to be taking notes on. It had been days since Harry had talked to her and she felt horrid, though she imagined Harry felt worse.

She had taken her time making her way back to the castle the day she and Harry had fought. She had no inkling that her father was going to stall Harry on the stairs to judge the Gryffindor or himself, and she certainly had no idea that the man she loved so dearly was going to dismiss the boy who had captured a special part of her heart in the way that he had. If she did, then things would have turned out quite differently.

But alas, she had no clue that fate, destiny, or whatever her divination teacher called it, was working against them. Elizabeth knew that Harry's opinion of her had changed that afternoon, she could tell by the looks he was giving her at breakfast the next morning. He was hurt; you didn't have to be a genius to know that. But perhaps it would be helpful in figuring out the reason why.

Maybe all of Weasley's anti-Elizabeth tirades finally made their way into Harry's head, which she highly doubted due to the fact Harry absolutely loved her. Well, up until that afternoon at least. Or perhaps it seemed, in Harry's mind, that she had set him up only to be crushed into tiny little pieces, which was the idea she was going with. After all she had spent the longest time convincing Harry that her,_ their_, father cared about his situation. However it all seemed for naught as the same father told Harry that he had shown the small act of kindness merely because he wanted to save some time. Yes, that scenario seemed perfect for the hurt that she had seen in Harry's red rimmed emerald eyes. And she knew of no way she could fix it, well, by herself at least.

"Brooks? Are you going to sit there all day?" Blaise's voice called from beyond the mist of her mind, pulling her from her musings.

"Oh, sorry, just thinking too much I guess." Elizabeth replied softly as she placed her parchment, ink, and quill into her school bag before following Blaise out the door.

"You seem to be doing a lot of that now a days." Blaise stated as they fell into step with the rest of their house mates.

"Things have changed Blaise," Elizabeth said as she readjusted her bag. "And I just need to think about them, besides, it's not like Binns actually teaches us anything."

It wasn't difficult to tell that Blaise didn't buy her explanation, but she would worry about that later. Right now, Harry needed the attention. The rest of the journey to the Great Hall was silent, except for the few moments Draco thought he would entertain the masses by making fun of Harry, but Elizabeth quickly saw to it that it was short lived.

With a quick goodbye to her friends, Elizabeth made her way down into the dungeons. She wasn't going to waste precious time to plan listening to Draco complains, and Pansy's periodical sighs as she daydreamed.

Taking the path her feet knew by heart, the Potions' Master's daughter arrived at her destination within minutes. With a small smile Elizabeth knocked quietly, respectfully waiting to enter until she was invited.

*SS*

As soon as the heavy oak door closed behind the last student of the morning, Severus collapsed into his chair. His head was pounding and his heart was racing, not to mention that his nerves were completely shot. But, he supposed, it was no one but his own fault as it was due to the copious amount of guilt he had been feeling.

He knew he should not have sent Harry away like he had, but he just couldn't bring himself to tell the young Gryffindor the truth. After all, it wasn't as though he could have said, '_I merely_ _wanted to scare you to properly assess the damage your relatives had inflicted upon you.' _To him that seemed worse than his actions had been, but after talking to Elizabeth, perhaps acting a little more like the parent he was and less like the git he wasn't would have helped.

Several minutes later, a sharp knock on his office door broke his train of thought as he gruffly called for them to enter. Deciding to pay no attention to the individual as they approached his desk he pretended to unmercifully grade the essays he had been handed that morning in the hopes that whoever it was would simply go away.

"Must you do that now?" Elizabeth's voice asked exasperatedly from in front of him. "I know you like to get the grading out of the way so we can have some quality time, but, at the rate you've been going, I'm afraid you'll overwork yourself."

Severus suppressed a snort as he looked up at his daughter. Despite the fact that her usual mask was in place, he could see the pain and determination in her hazel eyes. It seemed the mishap with Harry had taken a toll on her as well, and if he was honest he should have expected it.

They had been close. She had saved him and in turn he had confided in her. They had built a bond that many people only wished to have.

"I work too hard?" Severus asked as allowing a bit of incredulity to his tone as he pushed the paper he had been staring at away. "You seem to be working harder than the rest of us."

"I just can't help it." Elizabeth admitted. "I've made a promise, and I intend to keep it."

"You have?" Severus questioned, "And just what does this promise entail?"

"Harry never having to go back to his relatives." Elizabeth said as she examined the desk in front of her. "After what he told me, and what we found out, I see no reason for him to go back. Do you?"

"You think you can keep this promise?" He asked, concern evident in a way he'd only show to her.

"I can, if you help."

'_She's got you now'_ Severus thought as he sighed '_but you know you really want him, so whose got who?'_

*EB*

That afternoon Elizabeth allowed herself a break from the hustle and bustle of the Common Room to reflect on her thoughts in the silence that surrounded the lake. The early evening air was cool and crisp in a clear example of the transition from summer to fall. The leaves on the trees were changing as well, but that processes seemed much slower than the one on her mind: getting Harry to speak to her.

She knew that Harry was hurt; she had seen it in his eyes for the past week. But just because she saw it didn't mean anyone else did. She could never fully grasp why he hung out with the people he did. They never realized when he was hurting, or bothered, hell they didn't even notice he was missing!

With a heavy sigh, Elizabeth shut her eyes and leaned back against the tree. At the moment she was no better than the rest of them; she had hurt him just as bad, if not worse, than anyone else. She had unknowingly set the stage for his trust in her to be destroyed. He had trusted her, like he had trusted everyone else he had told in the past, and with one wrong move, she had let him down.

That hurt her almost as much as it hurt him. But she was going to change that. She was going to build that trust up again, but this time it was not going to be just her, it was going to be for their dad as well.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the lush green mountains surrounding Hogwarts, Elizabeth decided to make her way back to the warmth of the castle. Despite the chilly air, she had spent the better part of two hours thinking everything over until she was happy with the possible end result of her and her father's efforts. But she would talk those over with him later, first she wanted to get warm, then she wanted to spend some quality time with him before he left to spend the evening as a Death Eater he so very much hated to pretend to be.

*HP*

Harry found himself occupying the window seat that overlooked the darkening grounds. He had rejected Ron and Hermione's offer to go down to dinner. He hadn't been hungry, and he didn't feel like seeing Professor Snape or Elizabeth anyway. So instead he'd decided to take a shower and spend the rest of the evening looking out at the tranquil grounds yet not seeing them as he tried to clear his head.

He wasn't going to lie to himself, he was hurt. What Snape had said that afternoon had torn at him. It made Elizabeth a liar, and he didn't want to believe that. It didn't fit, not with her. She had invested too much of her time and her love in him only for it all to have been a lie. That was much more effort than anyone else, other than the Weasleys, had ever bothered to give for him.

Everyone else had simply lied to him. They'd merely looked at him and said the first thing that made themselves feel like they were doing their job. There was no time, no effort, and definitely no love wasted on him. But Harry knew this was different, it wasn't Elizabeth's job to care, it wasn't her job to do anything concerning him actually.

Harry sighed as his mind drifted. He still wanted _his _savior. He still wanted that loving home, he still wanted a family. He didn't want to go back to the abuse, to the neglect. He wanted what Ron and Hermione had. He wanted Elizabeth.

Sure he was upset with her, and hurt by a comment that would not have bothered him under any other circumstance, but she had given him what he needed. She had given him the love that he never had, she was the family he had always wanted. He wouldn't be neglected or abused. He would be safe. And at the moment that was all that mattered. Sure it seemed as if she had lied to him, but how did he really know? In a moment of pain had he just overreacted and destroyed everything? Had he, for a moment, taken the fact that she was a Slytherin and used it against her? Had he just lost the only person that he completely trusted?

He had no idea. But there was no way he would find the answers sitting on the window seat watching the moon slowly rise in the ink black sky. On the other hand he was also sure that he wasn't going to get them by marching down stairs and demanding answers. He would wait until Monday to talk to her again. It would give their emotions some time to simmer down. And it would also give him some time to think about what he would say to her. But that could wait until the morning, for now, he was going to bed.

AN : Another chapter, beta read by my amazing friend Hpgirl4ever!


	19. Wanted

Disclaimer: I don't Own Harry Potter

*HP*

Harry sighed as he placed his head in his hands as he sat at the table waiting for Ron and Hermione. Monday had come too fast in his opinion; he wasn't ready to act on the thoughts he had Friday night. Sleep had avoided him, his emotions were still running away from him, and everything he thought to say to her would only serve to make things worse. '_Maybe I'm not meant to be happy'_ Harry thought as he rested his head on his arms _'Maybe I'm meant to be used, abused, and unloved.' _

"Harry?" Hermione's voice called out, breaking his train of thought, " Are you alright?"

"I'm fine 'Mione" Harry replied as he lifted his head from his arms to stare at the girl in front of him, "I just have a headache, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked as a worried expression fell upon his face, "You don't look too well mate."

'_No I'm not sure_' "Yeah Ron, it's just a little headache; it should be gone by potions." Harry smiled weakly at them to give them a bit of reassurance before he looked away.

He didn't want them to worry about him, even if they didn't spend much time thinking about him anyway. Silently Harry began to fill the empty plate in front of him and attempted to eat, even though he wasn't hungry. The anxiety of talking to Elizabeth made sure of that. But as long as it prevented Hermione from nagging and making his headache worse, he would force himself to do it.

*EB*

Elizabeth sat quietly next to Blaise as she ate her breakfast. She wasn't particularly in a social mood, so she was excused from the conversation, and she was thankful for that. Her antisocial mood that morning gave her an excuse to stare around the hall, well at one particular person: Harry, without being embarrassed by her friends pointing it out.

The Gryffindor looked particularly dreadful that morning. The normally sparkling emerald eyes were dead and tired and dark rings had accumulated under Harry's eyes, making him more gaunt than he already was. But what really upset Elizabeth was the look of pain on his face. She hated seeing him in pain; it tore at her, filling her chest with a sensation that made it hard for her to breathe. With a deep, painful breath, the young Slytherin made up her mind, she was going to do it. Today.

She had spent all weekend talking things over with her dad until they had come to an idea that both worked, and did not give them away. Quickly, Elizabeth grabbed her bag and abandoned her half finished breakfast in order to race down to the potion's classroom. She knew her father would be there, he always was, even if he didn't open the door for a whole five minutes after the bell rang.

By the time, she reached the door, her heart was pounding and she was breathing hard. But everything she felt now would be worth it in a little more than two hours. After regaining her composure, Elizabeth opened the door, and stepped inside.

"Dad?' She called, as she placed her book bag at her usual table and walked until she stood in the center of the room.

"In here, Elizabeth ." Severus's voice called from inside his office. With quick, silent determined steps, the youngest Snape made her way over to her father's desk.

"What can I do for you this early in the morning dear?" Severus' warm voice questioned as he placed his quill gently on the table as he looked up.

"Remember what we were discussing this weekend Dad?" Elizabeth asked as she looked into the onyx eyes in front of her.

"Yes. Why?" A look of that would have belayed confusion if Elizabeth didn't know him better ran across the Potions' Master's face as he tried to figure out where this was going.

"Because something needs to be done, now. I saw him this morning and he's not sleeping. He already hardly shows up for meals, and when he does he barely eats anything." Elizabeth explained "And when I was watching him, he looked, dead. There was no life in his eyes and whenever I see him he looks as if he's in pain. I can't stand to see him like that Daddy."

*SS*

Severus waited patiently for Elizabeth to stop talking. What she had to tell him was important, not only because he was a teacher and it was his duty, to know the troubles of his students, but because he was Harry's father and, after what he had seen, and what he had caused he was going to fix things. He was going to pull the Harry out of that home. He was going to be what the boy needed, whether anyone liked it or not.

"Between you and me, I can't either," Severus said lowly after Elizabeth had stopped talking. "If everything goes like we hope it will, then, after this lesson, things will change."

Elizabeth nodded at his words; it was obvious she was distressed by her brother's appearance. And by the sound of it, she should be.

"Everything's going to be alright." Severus stated as he stood and embraced his 'little' girl. "Starting today I won't let anything happen to him, not now, not ever.

As the office door shut behind Elizabeth, Severus sighed. He had never entertained the thought of sabotaging someone else's potion due to the high risk of injury. But this time it was different. The person they were intending to sabotage was already in need of help. And as long as Elizabeth was the only one to throw in an extra ingredient at the key moment, everyone would be fine. There would be no explosions, no flying metal, just a rock solid mass that could easily be removed with a flick of his wand. The end result? He would tell both of them to stay after class, and thus a much needed conversation.

*HP*

By the time the bell rang, Harry's anxiety had yet to leave him. In fact, it had only gotten worse. But there was nothing to do now except to suck it up and go to class.

By the time he reached the Potion's classroom, the doors where already open and everyone inside. The young Gryffindor stood in the doorway for several seconds, looking for an empty chair. Finally he spotted the only one left which just so happened to be right in-between Ron and Hermione. The last place he wanted to be. Looking over he sighed to see that all of the chairs around Elizabeth where filled with her Slytherin house mates, not that'd he'd honestly have gone over anyways.

Quietly, he made his way to the vacant seat and sat down. He really didn't want to do this. He wanted to run. But as Snape slammed the doors shut, that was no longer an option, he had two hours to go before he could get away.

"Today you will be working by yourselves." Snape stated in an almost bored drawl as he walked to the font of the class. "I expect all of you to know how to make a first year potion, so I doubt anyone needs assistance." For a brief second Snape's eyes fell wearily on Neville before continuing. "The instructions are on the board. You have ten minutes to prepare, and the rest of the time to brew. You may begin."

With a flick of his wand Snape's assignment appeared on the blackboard and everyone set to work. Harry ignored all attempts at conversation initiated by either Ron or Hermione, stating that he wanted to concentrate because he couldn't afford another detention. And just like always, they seemed alright with his answer and conversed amongst themselves much to his relief.

As the class wore on, Harry found himself glancing more and more towards Elizabeth's table, where his friend, sister, whatever she was at this moment, was stirring what could have only been a cure for boils potion. Several moments later, She walked by and grabbed an empty flask from the storage cupboard, and as Harry followed her with his eyes, failed to notice she had dropped something into his potion.

*SS*

Severus watched intently as his daughter walked passed Potter's caldron and threw in a handful of Shrivel figs. Elizabeth's action did not go unnoticed by those who sat with Harry, but that was the idea. She wasn't playing a Malfoy, she wasn't trying to get Harry hurt, she was trying to get caught.

"Professor?" Granger's hand flew up in the air less than a minute after Elizabeth had dumped the unwanted ingredients into the cure.

"Yes, Ms. Granger?" Severus asked as he moved from his desk towards the Gryffindor know it all.

"Elizabeth just dumped something into Harry's cauldron."

Severus merely smirked as he watched Weasley's and Longbottom's heads move in agreement like one of those cheap bobble head toys. Turning his head toward Harry's now ruined potion, it was obvious that it had worked. For what should have been a nearly transparent purple, was now a solid mass of green sludge.

"Are you sure Ms. Brooks placed something in Mr. Potter's cauldron?" Severus asked, his eyebrow shooting up to his hair line. "Or are you simply fabricating a lit based on your prejudice against her?"

Severus smirked as the entire class went silent. Everyone's eyes were now trained on Potter's table. Slowly Granger sank back into her seat and glowered at him, but he wasn't deterred in the least. After all, he had received more than his fair share of such looks when he was a child.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for unsupported accusations Ms. Granger. Mr. Potter, Ms. Brooks, I would like to see you after class to sort out this mess."

Granger looked smug, while Harry and Elizabeth appeared to be disgruntled at the fact that they were being held. Sighing in resignation Harry sat back at his desk quietly as he waited for the bell to ring while Elizabeth cleaned up her area.

Five minutes later the bell rang dismissing the class. The majority rushed out the room while Weasley, Granger, and Blaise lagged behind. As soon as the room cleared, Severus closed the door softly and locked it behind him. He wasn't going to have anyone interrupt.

*HP*

Harry was nervous as he sat there. It seemed odd that Snape would have his own daughter stay behind. But despite his confusion Harry knew better than to question an adult as it usually got him in trouble. T

he Gryffindor watched closely as this professor made his way over to his desk, seating himself in the high-backed chair that resided there. Harry moved from his place at the potion's table and slowly walked to stand in front of his professor, but he didn't get very far.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry." Elizabeth cried as she practically launched herself at him. He was stunned. He had certainly not expected that to happen; to get yelled at for the potion yes, to be at the receiving end of an apology, definitely not. But he wasn't complaining, he had missed her dearly, and by the grip she now had on him, the feeling had been mutual.

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said again as she broke the embrace. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked slightly embarrassed for not containing herself. "I should have explained some things to you, but things got heated, and then you walked away. I_ never_ intended for you to get hurt Harry." Harry nodded as he stood there with Elizabeth's soft, warm grip on his arms.

"I had no intentions of hurting you either, Harry." A deep, steady voice stated from behind Elizabeth after several moments of silence. For a moment, Harry was confused, until he realized it was Snape who had spoken.

It was official, he was in shock, he had never expected to hear those words come out of his Potions' professor's mouth, ever.

*EB*

Releasing the grip she had on Harry's arms, she turned to face the man behind her. A small smile graced her lips as she realized the mask her father usually wore was gone. With a quick glance at Harry, it was obvious he had noticed it too, by his lack of speech.

"I should have made some subtle hint that I was at least concerned for your well being, and had I known that Elizabeth was going to talk to you about it, I would have." By now, Harry had moved several steps closer to the desk. But that did not deter what Severus had to say. "I don't want to be the person who knows they have a child, and does not become a part of their life. I want to be the parent you never had, and I want to take you away from those horrid people you live with. Harry, I want you." Elizabeth's smile broadened as those words tumbled over her father lips no louder than a whisper, but he_ had_ said them. He had actually said them, and that was all that mattered.

*HP*Harry couldn't believe it. He was wanted by someone, and that someone was _his _father. _His_.Not Ron's or anyone else's, but his own. All of the horrid things he had been feeling over the past few hours evaporated. His heart felt ready to explode, he would not have to return to his aunt and uncle's. He could go _home_ and live with Elizabeth. He wouldn't be beaten or starved, or anything else.

Without thinking, Harry approached the Snape and threw his arms around the man. At first it seemed awkward as Severus did not return the embrace, but as Harry moved to pull away warm arms enveloped him, pulling him close.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: this is the longest chapter yet with more than 2300 words. I don't particularly like this chapter, but I thought it was time Harry finally got what he deserved. I want to give a big thanks to my wonderful friend and beta Hpgirl4ever, and to everyone who reads this


	20. feelings

Disclaimer: I don't Own Harry Potter, but at least I own Elizabeth

HP

The smell of cloves, ginger and a vast array of other spices filled Harry's nose as he buried his face into the crook of Snape's neck. The Potions' Master's arms were still wrapped around him tightly, and he loved it. He had never felt so loved in his life.

In the fourteen years he had lived with his relatives, they had never embraced him like his father was at that moment. They had never shown him much affection, and the miniscule amounts they did give him were no match for the love he felt from the embrace he was currently enveloped in.

Time stood still as Harry burrowed deeper into his father's arms. After what seemed like an eternity, Harry felt Snape's arms shift and before he knew it the warmth had left him.

Now he found himself gently being held from above the elbow a foot from his father's body. A strange feeling overcame Harry as he noticed Snape's eyes drifting over him. The Gryffindor waited patiently for the criticism that he was sure would follow the inspection, but nothing came. Instead, Snape offered him a small smile before looking over to Elizabeth, who looked like someone told her Christmas was coming early this year.

"Everything from this moment on will change, Harry." Severus finally stated as his eyes fell back on him. "I hope you know that."

Harry shook his head vigorously. He wanted things to change. He never wanted to go back to his uncle's house. He wanted what Elizabeth and everyone else had, and he was so close to getting it. In fact it was standing right in front of him.

"I know sir." Harry said quietly, struggling with the fact that he actually believed it. "But I don't think I would have it any other way."

"I will begin filling everything out tomorrow morning then." Severus's smile widened by a fraction. "I want it to be legally known that you are my son."

It seemed unreal to Harry as he walked beside Elizabeth on their way to lunch. It was hard to believe that only a few hours prior he had wanted nothing more than to escape. But now, now everything was different. He was wanted. He would have a family, a sister who loved him, and a father that would care for and protect him from harm.

"I don't think I have ever seen you so happy." Elizabeth murmured in satisfaction as they ascended the stairs.

"That's because I've never_ been_ this happy." Harry replied as he looked at Elizabeth. "My aunt and uncle never really care if I was happy as long as Dudley was."

Elizabeth frowned at the reminder. "They should have treated you the same, even if you are different. In fact, it really should not have mattered at all. You're their blood and that's all that should have counted." Harry nodded. He knew that, but it felt strange to hear someone else say it.

EB

Elizabeth was partially infuriated by what Harry had just told her. His family seemed so different from hers. Her grandparents on her mother's side really didn't like her dad, and she knew it. But their dislike for him did not affect the way they treated her. They loved her for herself, not because of who she was or who her father was.

"Things will be different" Elizabeth promised as they stopped just before the Great Hall "It may not seem like it at first, but it will be." A small smile played across her lips as she tried to hide her slight upset from Harry over what he'd just told her.

"Elizabeth?" Harry asked as they walked past the Great Hall and towards the grand staircase

"Yes Harry?"

"What made you decide to do this in the first place?"

Elizabeth stopped in mid step. She was shocked by the question. She hadn't really thought that part over. She wasn't really sure what had finally motivated her to do it. Perhaps it was because she secretly knew what was going on, or maybe it was because of the connection she and Harry had shared over the summer as their friendship blossomed into what it was now. She wasn't certain, but she did know one thing.

"I did it because I love you." Elizabeth replied as she turned to face Harry. "If I didn't love you, then I would not have invested practically all of myself into ensuring that you got away from those people."

"Would you have done it even if I wasn't your brother?" Harry's voice had dropped, all of the joy he had felt earlier was obviously gone, but she didn't blame him for that.

"Yes Harry, I would have done it even if you were not my brother, because that wouldn't have mattered. I still would have loved you anyway. Not because of what you are to the Wizarding World, but because of the person you are on the inside."

Harry gave her one of his weak smiles but remained silent. Well, it was good enough. . . For now.

HP

Harry wasn't sure if he believed her but oh how he so wanted to. No one had ever told him that they loved him for himself, they had merely pretended to like him for what he had to, and was so far failing, to do. And if they didn't idolize him for being the Boy-Who-Lived, they hated him for it. No one had ever fallen in between until that moment, when he had been accepted by not only Elizabeth, but by Severus as well. Everything that had just happened was so overwhelming for him, and he knew he needed time to absorb it all.

"Elizabeth?" Harry heard himself ask as they started to move again.

"Yes Harry?" Elizabeth responded as they waited for the stairs.

"Do you mean that?" His voice was quiet, the shame he had for his uncertainty thinly hidden.

"Mean what? That I love you?" Elizabeth's tone was curious, but not incredulous. Harry nodded his head and appeared to find his shoes quite fascinating.

"Of course I mean it Harry. I would never say something like that if it wasn't true."


	21. Big Brother

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Severus stared incredulous at the paper in front of him. It was no secret the Ministry was uncooperative, he learned that lesson when he fought for a premature Elizabeth after her mother had died, but this was ridiculous. For the fifth time that morning, the Potions' master re-read the letter, as if he wanted to make sure it was real.

_Mr. Snape_

_I am sorry to inform you that your request for the adoption and legal parentage forms pertaining to one Harry Potter has been denied based on the recommendation of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Your request may be fulfilled at a later dated pending the evaluation we will receive from your employer in the next few weeks. _

_Wishing you the best of luck, the Department of Wizarding Child Services._

Severus threw the letter down with complete hatred. He would have never guessed that the headmaster would do something like that to him of all people. He had been the most loyal to the old man over the years, he had never questioned the choices Albus had made, he hadn't argued when it came to spying on his previous master; he had given up almost everything he had to please the man only to be repaid like this.

With an annoyed huff, Severus laid his head upon his folded arms. The only sound the head of Slytherin could hear was the rushing of blood in his ears as his heart pumped furiously as he attempted to get his temper under control.

"Dad?" Elizabeth's voice rang out several moments later causing the usually alert man to startle. Her normally composed and somewhat gleeful face was down cast and disappointed as she held the letter he had dropped in her hand. The letter was now crumpled and appeared torn where her nails had dug right through the thick parchment.

"This can't be for real, can it?" Elizabeth asked as she waved the letter in the air. "What does that man _want_ from you? He seemed perfectly fine with the fact Harry was yours weeks ago!" Elizabeth was practically shouting at the end of the sentence, but Severus couldn't blame her, he was upset too. They had taken one step forward on the road to having Harry with them, just to be shoved back three.

"I'm afraid it is." Severus replied quietly as he leaned back against his office chair.

"But why?" Elizabeth asked as she slumped somewhat defeated into the hard backed chair in front of his desk.

"Honey, there are many things you don't know about the Wizarding world. When Harry's 'parents' died Albus became his Ministry approved guardian. If I were to fill out the legal parentage and adoption papers, and they were processed, then he would no longer be in control of Harry." Severus's voice was even and controlled, just like when he taught his lessons.

"So he doesn't really care about what happens to Harry then." Elizabeth stated as she locked eyes with her father. "And as long as Harry is still physically capable of defeating Voldemort, that's all that really matters?"

"Essentially, yes." Severus answered.

"What do I tell Harry then?" Elizabeth's voice had dropped so low the Severus had to struggle to hear it.

"At the moment, nothing. And until I get this mess with Albus straightened out don't tell him anything. I don't want him worrying like he is prone to do."

HP

Despite the sun shining through the glass and the roaring fire in the hearth, Harry was still cold as he sat upon the window seat. He was still thinking over what Elizabeth had told him. To him it just seemed so surreal; he had never really known someone who had loved him for simply being himself. Sure there were a few people who took time to get to know the real him, but that didn't mean they liked what they saw. All that matter was that he was the Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry sighed as he leaned his forehead against the cold glass making him shiver. He had no idea what to do. In all honesty he wanted to believe Elizabeth. In the span of three months, she accomplished more than anyone else that had aided him in the ten years he had been in school. However, there was that part of him that still trusted no one.

He had been let down so many times it seemed hopeless, but there was just something about this time that was different: he had somewhere to go, and someone who wanted him. He would actually get the love he had so desperately craved all those years, he wouldn't be hurt, or bullied, or be forced to do things that were impossible to accomplish with just one person. He would actually have the parent he had needed, wanted, and wished for since he began school.

He was so close to leaving the Dursleys', he could almost taste it. But there was something at the back of his mind that kept him from celebrating. There had to be a catch somewhere, nothing was ever that simple for him, never.

EB

Elizabeth's mind was racing as she stared at the wall across from her seat on the common room's black leather couch. It was beginning to seem that saving Harry was becoming more and more impossible. At every turn there seemed to be another obstacle that was more challenging than the next. This time was no different, well almost; this time they had _their_ father on their side. And she knew Severus would be damned if he let the headmaster stand in his way this time.

After all, Harry wasn't some potion that her dad could cook up at home because it was illegal to make inside the school. No, Harry was a real person, a person made of bone, flesh, and blood, and when it came to people, the Potions' Master usually tended to over step his ground.

After what seemed like hours of contemplating, Elizabeth pulled herself together and headed out of the common room. She didn't know where she was going but hoped that a nice walk could help clear her head.

Elizabeth allowed her feet to take her along the numerous corridors she had come to memorize after all the years she had spent there. It seemed as though hours had passed without any type of human interaction for her, though she didn't quite care or even realize it until she ran into someone, literally.

With a rather hard thud Elizabeth fell to the ground, pain shooting through her palms and up her arms as she tried to soften her landing.

"Watch where you're going snake." Snapped a voice she had come to hate over the summer.

"Why don't you do the same Weasel." Elizabeth hissed as she pushed herself to her feet, rubbing her palms on her jeans as an attempt to soothe away the pain.

"This is Gryffindor territory." Ron spat, his ears turning a brilliant maroon.

"And that justifies you being a jerk?" Elizabeth questioned as she stared at the boy who towered a good six inches above her. "Oh, wait; you're always one of those."

"Watch it." Ron gritted through his teeth, making Elizabeth smile. The door to the common room was open now, and a good portion of the Gryffindor house was there, including Harry.

"Or What? What are you going to do to me?" Elizabeth asked innocently as she stared at her less than favorite Gryffindor. "Make me watch you attempt to make a potion, because I agree that is a torturous sight to see."

"You're just a pathetic little girl who gets in the way."

A pang ran through Elizabeth's chest. Now that one hurt, but she wasn't going to admit it. Instead she smiled and looked towards Harry who stood in the doorway, his emerald eyes wide.

"At least I don't forget my best friend." Ron's face deflated as he stared at her with disbelief. Everyone that stood in the doorway gasped. For a moment Elizabeth locked eyes with Harry, before she turned and walked away. Slowly she made her way downstairs to the safety of the dungeons; at least there she wouldn't have to worry if anyone saw her wasn't really paying attention to anything that was going on. Instead he remained perched on the window seat, reading '_Quidditch Through The Ages'_. Ron and Hermione had tried to engage him in several conversations, but he didn't feel like talking. After what seemed like days, Ron had finally abandoned him, much to his relief.

Of course he enjoyed his friends, but ever since he had learned he had slipped there mind, he just wanted his space until he could figure everything out. For a moment, Harry peaked over the top of his book and watched his 'best' friend leave. However, before he could return to mindlessly gazing at the pages, Ron's voice rang out from the corridor.

What little chatter that was going on in the common room ceased and moved closer to hear what was being said. Harry refused to join let alone look at them, that was until he heard Elizabeth. Quickly the seeker jumped from his place and tossed the book down. By the time he reached the portrait hole, it was already open and the scene rapidly unfolding before the eyes of the onlooker.

Everyone could see that Ron was taller than Elizabeth, but she wasn't going to back down, a fact that made Harry proud.

"You're just a pathetic little girl who gets in the way." Ron yelled. Harry felt a pang run through his chest as his friend did so.

'_If he could think that about Elizabeth, what does he think about me?' _Harry thought as he watched the argument before him. For a brief second, he noticed a flash of pain in his sister's eyes, but all she did was smile and retort "At least I don't forget my best friend."

Ron's anger deflated, and he looked defeated, but the damage was already done. Quickly Elizabeth took off down the stairs, and Harry waited just long enough for Ron to see her leave, before he shoved his way through the crowd.

"How can you call yourself a Gryffindor if you don't take the time to act like one?" Harry asked, his voice evenly coated with anger and disappointment. Ron was dumbfounded, but Harry didn't care. Ron should have known better, after all this was not the first time they had had that particular conversation. With one final glare, Harry took off after Elizabeth, leaving a group of his housemates staring after him.

EB

Elizabeth took two stairs at a time as she hurriedly made her way back to the safety of the dungeons. The tears that had formed in her eyes began to flow, but luckily everyone was enjoying the pleasant fall weather so there was no danger of being spotted.

Weasley would never really know just how much his comment had affected her. It was the way Dumbledore had put it when Severus confronted him after she had ran after Harry. Even though her father had assured her that her birth had nothing to do with Harry's livening situation, she still felt somewhat responsible.

As Elizabeth descended the stairs to the Entrance Hall she stopped. There was no way she was going to confront her dad like this. He had too much on his plate as it was, and having her burst into his office while in tears wouldn't do either one of them a bit of good.

Instead, she planted herself on the second to last step of the staircase. Her wonderful idea to clear her head had backfired. In the last few hours she had not accomplished anything. Elizabeth paid no real attention to anything as she traced the pattern of the stone that was under her.

"He can be a real jerk sometimes." Harry said softly.

"I kind of figured that out." Elizabeth sighed as she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered as he took the spot next to her. Quietly, Elizabeth moved closer and leaned against him, her head resting upon his shoulder. Harry tensed for a few moments, he was unfamiliar with the idea and the sensation that something, someone, wanted him to offer comfort. But as time passed, Harry relaxed and wrapped his arm around his little sister's shoulders.

For that brief period of time, all of the bad feelings, ideas, and memories seemed non-existent. All that mattered to him was Elizabeth. A small smile crept onto Harry's face as Elizabeth's arms slowly wound themselves around his middle. Harry had to admit that being a big brother was one of the best feelings in the world.


	22. Just Be There

Disclaimer : i do not own Harry potter

Sorry if there are grammar and spelling errors. this chapter is unbetaed

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered as he took the spot next to her. Quietly, Elizabeth moved closer and leaned against him, her head resting upon his shoulder. Harry tensed for a few moments, he was unfamiliar with the idea and the sensation that something, someone, wanted him to offer comfort. But as time passed, Harry relaxed and wrapped his arm around his little sister's shoulders.

For that brief period of time, all of the bad feelings, ideas, and memories seemed non-existent. All that mattered to him was Elizabeth. A small smile crept onto Harry's face as Elizabeth's arms slowly wound themselves around his middle. Harry had to admit that being a big brother was one of the best feelings in the world.

Harry felt a strange sensation when Elizabeth finally pulled away, the loss of body heat made him feel cold and somewhat empty. But he wasn't going to tell her that, she seemed to be miserable enough at the moment and he had no desire to make it worse.

"Are you alright?" Harry kept his voice even and calm as he watched his sister wipe her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt.

"I'll be fine." Elizabeth responded as she stared at her hands. " I just need some time to gather my bearings, that's all." Harry nodded, he understood exactly how the Slytherin was feeling, after all he had experienced it so many times when he was little.

"Do you want me to go?" Harry asked after what seemed like hours of silence.

"No." Elizabeth answered instantaneously. Her voice had returned to normal but her face was still flushed and her hazel eyes were getting puffy. " I don't want you to go."

EB

Elizabeth could not recall a time when she had felt this bad. Sure her stay at headquarters wasn't the best, but it hadn't left her in tears. Hell, even Dumbledore's ultimatum left her with dry eyes, but a comment by a Gryffindor, and a stupid one at that, made her crumble. However, she figured that would be normal after everything that had occurred over the last few months. Quietly she raised her head and glanced over to the boy who sat next to her. In all of the years she had known her friends, Elizabeth doubted they would have done what Harry had. She was certain that most of them would have done nothing but smirk and march off to the common room to bully the first years like they did every other day. With a deep breath, the young Slytherin shoved the thoughts of her friends away, now was not the time to think about it. Especially since she had more pressing matters at hand.  
"Harry?" Elizabeth asked softly as she brought her eyes to meet his for the first time.

"Yes Elizabeth ?" Harry answered carefully resting his hand atop of her.

"Thanks" the potions' master daughter felt her cheeks heat up as she blushed. She felt childish for thanking Harry for something that should have been normal for siblings.

" Isn't that what big brothers are for." Harry replied softly as he squeezed her hand, causing Elizabeth to smile.

"I guess I should be heading downstairs now." Elizabeth announced, feeling slightly awkward for the way she had presented it, but she just needed to get away from the steps " Dad is probably worried since he hasn't seen me all day."

Harry nodded in agreement. " yeah I should head back to the common room before they send someone to come and find me"

With a quick hug, Elizabeth pushed herself off of the step and bounded down stairs, leaving Harry behind.

HP

Harry waited until Elizabeth was out of sight before pushing himself away from the steps. Slowly he made his way up the stairs. He was in no big hurry to make it back to Gryffindor common room and he was definitely in no hurry to face Ron. After all what do you tell someone who made some one you love hurt? What did you tell your supposed best friend after he hurt your little sister? Harry had no real idea, but he figured that no big brother really did. He doubted that an experienced older sibling even knew what to do. Silently the Gryffindor mused as he allowed his feet to carry him to the seventh floor.

Harry stopped and stared at the fat lady when he finally made it to the seventh floor. Time seemed to slow as the contemplated whether or not he should face his house. He was sure that the fact he had chased after a Slytherin had already spread from person to person like wild fire, but did that really matter? Did their opinion really affect him that much? After all didn't they just talk about him behind his back anyway? So what did it matter if they began their rumour mill again? Silently Harry contemplated that question, out right ignoring the fat lady's angry stares. And throat clearing. After a few moments of critical thinking, Harry muttered the password and entered, unsure of what he would fine.

EB

The dungeons were dark and cold as Elizabeth made her way down to her father's quarters. It seemed to be the perfect place to hide until dinner, and by then it would appear like nothing happened, and that was how she wanted it After all you could not a Slytherin if you left the world see you're human, right? With quick, precise steps, Elizabeth made it to her father's quarters rather quickly. With a deep breath, she whispered the password and entered quietly. At first it appear as if the room was empty: The lights were dimmed, the fire was out, everything was in its place, there was even no sight or sound of a potion being brewed. Which was odd considering that her father did nothing else in his free time.

"Dad?" Elizabeth called as she moved towards the hall. " Dad are you in here?" no response

"Dad?" She called a little louder, wincing slightly as her voice came out somewhat hoarse from her crying earlier. Still no response. The young girl began to worry. Her father always replied when she called for him, no matter what he was doing.

"DAD?" Elizabeth was almost yelling now and if he was near, she was sure he heard her, since the hall echoed. All of a sudden, Severus's bedroom door flew open.

"DAD!" Elizabeth stated as she ran down the hall, to the man who waited at the end.

"Ohh, Elizabeth " Severus stated as he felt Elizabeth collide with his chest. " what's gotten into you?"

SS

Severus was resting in his room. The massive headache that he had as slowly diminishing as he lay on the black silk comforter that adorned his bed. Everything that had happened was finally catching up with him and he knew it. With a sigh, he rolled onto his side and opened his eyes. He could handle fighting for Elizabeth when she was young, he could handle, the death of her mother, he could handle the death of Lily and Voldemort coming back, but it seemed he couldn't handle his employer preventing him from getting his son. The potions' master's ponderings were interrupted by a faint noise. Quietly he sat up trying to hear, after a few seconds, the sound occurred again. Several seconds after that, Elizabeth 's voice called loud and clear: "DAD". Severus rushed to the door and yanked it open to find his little girl standing at the end of the hall. Her usually happy countenance was replaced with sadness, and faint tear tracks could be seen. Before he knew it, Elizabeth had collided with his chest

"Oh Elizabeth ." he stated as he ran his fingers through her hair as he held her " What has gotten into you?" his question went unanswered and that unnerved him. Quietly he pulled Elizabeth until she was an arms length away and he examined her. The faint tear tracks he had noticed earlier were more apparent, her hazel eyes were puffy, and her hair was askew, her normally pale face held a little red hue.

"Elizabeth ?" Severus asked again, this time staring in her eyes. " What's wrong?" after a moment, all of the days events rolled off of her tongue and out her lips. Severus listened patiently, hiding the anger that was slowly growing in the pit of his being. He had always known that every Gryffindor, even the loving Weasleys, had a cruel side, and what his daughter had just reviled had given him the proof he needed. With a deep breath, he pulled his little girl close and place a gentle kiss upon her head.

"Everything is going to work out " Severus reassured his daughter quietly " Things always do"

HP

The Gryffindor common room was just as full as it was when he left. Harry just wanted to walk pass his 'friend' and get ready for dinner. He didn't feel like talking to Ron after what he had done to Elizabeth , but from the corner of his eye, he could see that the youngest Weasley boy had a different idea.

"Harry?" Ron Called just as the brunette had placed his foot on the first step that lead to the dorm.

"Ron" Harry retorted, refusing to turn around and face the taller boy

"Harry what has gotten into you?" The common room had become silent, and Harry silently wished that everyone would mind their own business.

"What do you mean?" Harry still refused to turn around and face him, face them.

"You defended that dirty snake! " Ron exclaimed, Finally making Harry turned around. He was angry. How dare Ron call his sister that. He Didn't even know her, or what she had done for him.

"So what?" Harry's voice was low and cold. " Since when did we step so low to act like they do? Do you even know who she is or what she is really like or are you just stereotyping, because if you are, then you KNOW NOTHING. " With is chest heaving, Harry turned and bounded up the stairs as quickly as he could, only pausing to throw open the dorm door and slamming in shut.


	23. Realization

"So what?" Harry's voice was low and cold. "Since when did we stoop so low to act like they do? Do you even know who she is or what she's really like or are you just stereotyping, because if you are, then you know _nothing_!"

With his chest heaving, Harry turned and bounded up the stairs as quickly as he could, only pausing to throw open the dorm room door and slam it shut behind him

.

Harry groaned quietly, attempting to regain control over his temper as he buried his head beneath his pillow. He knew he shouldn't have lost it, but he couldn't help it. There was really no way that he could think of that he could have controlled himself at that particular moment.

Ron had called_ his _sister, _his _savior a dirty snake. It infuriated him so much that just thinking about it caused his anger to flare and his heart to race. Quickly, Harry shoved the thought out of his head and began to focus on other things. He knew he needed to get his temper under control before he blew something up.

Slowly Harry evened out his breathing and soon he felt his heart stop racing and the whooshing sound of blood that was rushing in his ears slow to a dull roar.

After what seemed like hours, Harry withdrew his head from beneath the pillow. Allowing the cool air to dance across his hot face and soothe the headache that was growing behind his temples. The light that had been streaming through the curtains when he had laid down had completely disappeared from the sky.

By the lack of sound, he figured that everyone had left for dinner, which with his luck was probably almost over. But that didn't really bother him, he wasn't very hungry and he didn't want to face Ron anyway.

***EB***

Elizabeth lay on her father's bed, resting her head on his shoulder. Her long black hair fanned out across the pillows, mixing with his as he ran his long potion stained fingers through it. The pain she had felt in her chest had almost disappeared but that did nothing for her wondering mind.

She had been worried about Harry ever since their father had calmed her back down an hour ago, especially since he shared a dorm with Weasley who could never really leave well enough alone, even if he benefited from it.

"Do you feel like eating?" Severus's voice broke the silence and stillness of the room.

"Not really." Elizabeth replied as she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Don't worry yourself about Weasley." Severus said as he pushed himself up against the pillows.

"I don't care what Weasley told me." Elizabeth stated softly" I'm just worried about Harry."

"And why is that? Severus asked in an all too familiar tone, one that told her he already knew the answer.

"Because he'll defend me, and if I know Gryffindor's the way I think I do they will treat him like they treat us." Elizabeth reasoned as she stared at the wardrobe in the corner of the currently dark green room. "And I don't think that it is right for them to treat Harry like that if they do, I mean especially after everything he has done for them, and for us."

"So what do you want to do about it?" Severus asked.

"There is nothing I can do, nothing _we_ can do" Elizabeth stated "Not with everyone trying to stand in our way."

**X*X*X*X*X**

"There you are." Blaise said, his voice ringing in the practically silent common room. 

"Was I supposed to be somewhere?" Elizabeth asked as she looked up from the potion's book she was reading.

"Well you weren't at dinner." Blaise said as he ungracefully plopped down on the couch beside her.

"I didn't feel well." Elizabeth said, which was true, she didn't feel good, and she was sure she would have been worse off if she had seen the bane of her existence.

"We all get that way when the weather starts turning colder, Liz." Blaise smiled, his blue-steel eyes glimmering as if he knew better than to take what she was saying at face value.

'_If only he knew _Elizabeth thought as she listened to Blaise talk. '_We would really have problems then.'_

***HP***

Harry spent the weekend in his dorm, only venturing out when he was certain that no one was in the common room to bother him. He had yet to speak to Ron or Hermione since Ron had opened his mouth and treated Elizabeth like Draco Malfoy treated everyone else.

He had no idea what happened to his best friend, but whatever it was, Harry did not like it. Ron had never been that way, even last year when they had fought about the Triwizard tournament and had stopped speaking.

Hermione wasn't any better. She had forgotten about him too, and she was the 'brightest witch of the age'. She had the ability to remember everything from History of Magic but she had forgotten about him and then sided with Ron when he told them that he had made friends with Elizabeth. But, at the very least, she wasn't as critical of the friendship or rather his relationship with the Slytherin. He was still uncertain about what caused the change in his friends though.

Maybe it was because of Sirius' negative attitude towards Slytherin and just Elizabeth in general, or maybe Moody's general dislike for anyone who mentioned they were associated with the house of Voldemort. But whatever caused it, Harry was not a fan of it.

So as Harry dressed for his Monday classes, he ignored the stares he was receiving from Ron. Through the fringe of his hair, he could see the look on Ron's face. It was the look he gave Hermione when she was mad at him and he wanted to talk to her, but Harry had no real desire to talk to him let alone start another argument. So as soon as Harry had his last shoe tied, he was out the dorm door, down the stairs, and in the common room before Ron had finished buckling his belt.

Hermione was waiting by the port hole, but Harry didn't want to talk to her either, so with quick steps he made his way through the entrance and refused to stop when he heard her call his name.

Maybe he was being unreasonable, or inconsiderate towards them, but he couldn't help it. It was how he protected himself from the hurt of being let down. He had experienced so much of the hurt in grade school when people would try to become friends with him, until Dudley and his friends would beat them up and threaten them and they would turn into everyone else that was there: cruel and inconsiderate. They never really cared if what they said hurt Harry, as long as it prevented them from being hurt by Dudley. And when the teachers witnessed him being bullied, they did nothing but stand and watch.

'_Maybe it's just a phase'_ Harry thought as he sat down at the Gryffindor table. '_Maybe they are just so overwhelmed by everything.'_

'_**Are they truly overwhelmed, thought?'**_ Another voice in his head asked, he wasn't sure, he wasn't sure of anything anymore.

Everything he knew about his life had been turned upside down since school had started. He had a father, even if it was the most hated professor that had ever walked the grounds, hell he even had a sister that loved him for who he was and didn't particularly care that there was an insane wizard that wanted him dead.

Quietly Harry picked up his head and glanced at the Slytherin table and after a quick search he found Elizabeth missing from the normal group she usually sat with. Quickly he tore his eyes away and did a quick search of the Head Table to find the space between Professor McGonagall and the new Defense teacher empty. Snape was missing too.

***SS***

Severus was seated at his kitchen table reading the latest edition of the Potion's Journal he subscribed to while Elizabeth sat across from him eating breakfast. She looked better than she had on Friday standing in the hall with tears running down her face all because Molly Weasley's youngest son had thought it a great idea to take up bullying as a past time.

He would be damned if he was going to let some lanky, idiotic Gryffindor get away with what James Potter and Sirius Black did when they were in school. He was not going to let his daughter become what he had.

"Dad?" Elizabeth asked breaking the silence between them.

"Yes?" Severus answered as he drew he eyes away from the article on the newest uses of Mandrake.

"Has the status on the paperwork been changed yet?" She asked as she drew circles in her cereal.

"No, and Albus had been too preoccupied to sit down and talk to me" Severus replied. "But I will take care of it, even if I have to go over his head to do it."


	24. Reoccuring doubts

Severus stood silently in the shadows as he observed his fifth year Gryffindor-Slytherin potion's class. For the most part, they were behaving themselves, for the moment. As he waited for the few stragglers that seemed to enter his classroom mere seconds before the bell rang. His eyes flicked from student to student as he mentally paired them for their new assignment. It had been ages since he had actually paired students together, but this time it was necessary, he needed to see who worked better where. And besides, it would give him the chance to pay back Weasley for his stunt.

As soon as the last of the students took their place, he slammed the dungeons door shut. silencing the group almost immediately.

"Today you will be beginning your Strengthening Solutions" Severus began as he walked to the front of the room. " You will be working in partners of my choosing" A collective groan echoed through the stone room. " Silence. This is a very complex potion and it needs the utmost concentration. I highly doubt the partners you would have chosen would have benefited you at all."

Severus smirked as he felt the glares he was receiving from both sides of the classroom, but frankly he didn't they weren't suppose to like him anyway. " Potter- Brooks, Granger- Zabini, Weasley-Malfoy, Thomas- Crabbe, Finnigan-Bulstrode, Brown-Goyle, Parkinson-Greengrass" Severus was not surprised to see the glares of hate he received by both houses, but that never really bother him. He had received much worse when he had to tell Mikayla's parents she had died. Shaking the overwhelming feeling of sadness and dread, Severus flicked his wand towards the blackboard causing the instructions to appear.

"Get a move on it, this potions not going to make itself." Severus growled. in a blink of an eye, students were moving towards their partners, scowling and looking positively miserable, well all except for two.

There was a small smile on Elizabeth's lips as Harry made his way to her table. Severus had to note there was a change in the Gryffindor's demeanor as he moved to work with his sister. It seemed that spending time with Elizabeth, even a small amount of time with her, made him happy, even if it was just for a few hours.

**EB**

Elizabeth lit the flame under the cauldron as Harry began to prepare the ingredients they would need for the first half of the solution. As she waited for the water to begin to boil, she placed the already prepared ingredients in order of use. It was a habit she had picked up from watching her Dad all of those years, and it was extremely beneficial when it came time to make an actual potions in class.

"Elizabeth?" Harry asked as she slowly stirred in the first ingredient.

"Yes, Harry." She answered as she she quickly glanced up at the black board.

"Why do you think he paired us up like this?" Harry's voice wavered as he spoke.

"I think it's a way to make sure we spend some time together." Elizabeth responded as she added the next item into the bubbling cauldron. " Besides I think he wants a reason to give Weasley a detention."

Harry's head flew up rather quickly, giving Elizabeth the impression he probably just pulled something in his neck. His emerald eyes were rather wide, and had turned rather pale.

"Harry, he won't do anything to purposely cause your friend harm" Elizabeth reassured her brother. " He just wants your friend to do something stupid so he can punish him for it."

"He wants to punish Ron for hurting you doesn't he?" Harry asked rather low.

"Essentailly, yes" Elizabeth replied her voice low too. " He just wants to make sure it never happens again. He's afraid that in twenty years time I will end up like him."

Harry held her gaze for a moment. he seemed stunned that their father would go so far to protect her. She was sure that when the time presented itself, he would do the same thing for him.

**SS **

Severus stalked from station to station, lingering for a few minutes ensuring that the first few steps of the potion was completed correctly. As he neared Weasley and Malfoy's station, he could hear their arguing as it grew more and more heated. The solution was nowhere near the color it should have been for the step they seemed to be on. In fact it looked as if someone had poured in quick drying cement into the cauldron; the potion was a thick consistency that was slowly turning solid.

_Maybe I don't have to wait long after all_Severus thought with a smirk. He was determined to give Weasley a detention, but he wanted to make sure he _earned _it before he gave the Gryffindor one for no reason. He was already on thin ice with Albus, and he had no real desire to tick off his employer before he had the chance to speak to him about the adoption and guardian paperwork. After one final disapproving glance he walked away. It wouldn't take long for the goo to solidify, giving him the chance he wanted anyway.

Severus wasn't surprised when he came to a halt in front of Elizabeth and Harry's potion. He knew his daughter was just as proficient at potions as he was at her age, and the fact she had the patients to work with Harry was amazing. She was willing to help him understand and teach him the ropes of the complex art of potion making. After a few moments of watching Elizabeth explain some of the ingredients and the importance of adding them in sequence,Severus asked for the stir stick in her hand. Without hesitation, Elizabeth handed it over, and waited. It was no secret that some of the Slytherin house thought he favored his little girl, and in truth, he did to a certain point. He had never actually favored her when it came to grading, in fact he graded her harder than everyone else.

***HP***

Harry watched as Severus examined the Strengthening Solution so far. He was worried that the Potions' Master would vanish it for the sheer fact that he had a hand in making the potion. He knew that the man was his father, but even that knowledge sometimes did little for his confidence when he was expected to perform decently in the classroom.

" Well I must say, this is the best solution I have seen this far today." Severus whispered as he handed Elizabeth back the stir stick. " I suggest the two of you continue to work as you were, any change in that might lead to a failure." Snape's onyx eyes traveled from Elizabeth, then to him, and back to Elizabeth before a brief almost smile appeared in his lips.

"What was that about?" Harry asked Elizabeth as they waited for the potion to simmer.

"It's his way of showing how proud he is of us." Elizabeth smirked as she tore her eyes away from the bubbling mixture. " He has never giving a straight comment before, so that is as close as we are ever going to get in the classroom."

"He's proud of us?" Harry's voice carried the note of disbelief, he doubted that Snape would ever be proud of him, no matter how much he wanted him.

"Of course he is proud of us silly." Elizabeth smiled in earnest. " He's proud of me for doing a good job, he's proud of you for your dedication." Harry felt a bit strange by the way Elizabeth emphasized dedication. he was sure that it just didn't apply to the work he was doing at the moment, but he wasn't entirely sure if it applied to how hard he was trying to make everything work with Elizabeth.

By the last five minutes of Class, Harry could understand why Severus had been proud of them. They had been the one pair to successfully finish the first half of the solution. Even Hermione and her partner didn't even make it that far. Harry waited patiently with Elizabeth as they waited for Severus to cast the stasis charm to preserve it until the next lesson, when an exceptionally loud bang interrupted the peace.

"WEASLEY" Snape shouted causing Harry to flinch before he turned to see what had happened. The table that had held Ron and Draco's caldron as covered in what appeared to be a green version of cement. Apparently the goo that they had been working with had been too thick to actually create a large scale explosion which was good when it came to their safety, but any explosion was bad for the student's health.

"Can't you read directions?" Snape sneered as he cautiously poked the mess with a stir stick from the closest table.

"Yes, Sir." Ron ground out,

"Well that's not what it looks like now is it?" Snape's voice was steady, but his voice was cold and fierce. " Because if you did or could there would not be a section of sidewalk covering one of my workstations now would there?"

Ron didn't say anything, neither did draco, apparently even that particular Slytherin knew it was better to keep your mouth shut at times.

"Two weeks detention Weasley, starting tonight. Be down here by Seven Pm no later." Snape stated, " or you will be sorry."

to Harry's amazement, Ron remained silent as Severus gave him his detention. It was unusual for Ron to not fight back, especially when it came to the punishments that Snape dished out.

" I wonder why he didn't fight back" Harry asked quietly as he packed up his things,

"Well you can't argue the fact that you justly deserve your punishment can you?" Elizabeth asked as she turned her head to watch the classroom empty. " how can he argue when he knows he's at fault for creating a sidewalk on one of dad's station?"

***EB***

" Did you achieve your goal?" Elizabeth asked as she watched Harry leave for lunch.

"I don't know what you are talking about" Severus's voice stated seriously from behind her, he was never going to come out and admit he wanted to punish Weasley. She had figured that out by herself when he had assigned partners at the beginning of the lesson. Truth be told, she really didn't mind the fact that he had done that. Besides it would have happened sooner or later, and she knew that. He was a Death Eater, seeking revenge was what they did best. especially when it came to protecting their children.

"So have any idea how you are going to approach Dumbledore yet?" Elizabeth asked, that was going to be the hardest part of getting Harry; getting past Dumbledore's manipulations in the ministry.

"No." Severus replied automatically setting his quill down. " But if he refuses to cooperate, i have another plan, one that he won't be able to back out of."

SS

It was well past midnight before Severus made his way to the headmaster's had just spent the greater part of the last five hours watching Weasley chisel away at cement like concoction that had coated one of his best potion's stations. He was sure he could have found a better, less time consuming detention for the Gryffindor to complete, but he enjoyed the fact that he was taking away from the boys free time and giving him a chance to think, if that was even possible.

He knew it was petty to give a detention to the child that had brought his girl to tears, but he had his reasons, he doubted they were justifiable in everyone elses eyes, but they were not a father, they wouldn't really understand anyway..

Severus stopped in front of the Gargoyles that guarded the headmaster's office and spoke the password " peppermint frogs" before proceeding. He knew he would be wasting his breath, but he at least wanted to show he attempted to work things out with the headmaster before he just went to someone who wielded more power than the headmaster.

The potions' master was up the stairs before they stopped moving and waited a few seconds before knocking softly on the door.

"Enter."

Quietly Severus opened the door and walked in, gently shutting it behind him. infront of him the headmaster sat at his desk, going over paperwork. As he moved closer, it became apparent that the Ministry had made several attempts at contacting Albus for at least five envelopes with the Child Services seal lay unopened in a pile at the corner of the desk.

"Severus, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Dumbledore sounded extremely happy, which was annoying even on a good day.

"I need to talk to you Albus." Severus stated firmly as he came to a halt directly in front of the rather large desk." it's important."

"I am sure it is Severus." Albus stated without withdrawing his gaze from the paper he was reading.

"it's about Harry." Severus stated quietly, causing the older wizards head to snap up in surprise. Apparently he didn't think Severus was still interested in obtaining his son,

"What about harry?" Albus's tone was light and carefree as if Harry was a used quill in the cup at the end of the desk

"It's about the fact I would like to adopt Harry." Severus felt pleased as the twinkle disappeared from behind the half moon spectacles and the older wizard was speechless. "Lily's letter stated she wanted me to be apart of his life, and I plan on fulfilling her wish"

By the look he received, that was not in the Headmaster's plan, but that didn't faze Severus. He was going to get Harry, even if it was the last thing he ever did. He was damn well ready to go over his employers head. He wanted that boy, that boy needed someone who would love him and protect him, he needed a family.

"I am sorry Severus... but with your record and the difficulty you had obtaining Elizabeth after Mikayla died, I don't think it will be possible for you to get custody of Harry," Dumbledore's face was emotionless. The old man was serious.

"That was years ago" Severus snapped " I was defected and I have been proven to be a fity parent, or have you forgotten all of those home checks after the war?"

"I am Sorry Severus. I can't help you."

AUTHORS NOTES:Chapter unbetaed

I am looking for a new beta, mine is currently on Hiatus. Plz PM me if you are intrested.

wow another chapter. There is a little more hints a Severus and Elizabeth's past in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it


	25. Over his head

Severus barely made it out of the office before he slammed his fists into the wall. After everything he had done for that man, he was doing to leave him high and dry. Rage surged through his tall frame as he was overcome by anger. he should have known he wasn't going to get the backing of the headmaster, but it was worth a try and a waste of his breath. After a hand full of deep breaths he slowly drug his fists down the stone wall and slumped down the stairs heading back to the safety of his dungeons.

Albus would be sorry, Severus thought as he walked through the corridors, would make sure of that. but that would have to wait, first he needed to talk to an old friend, one that had more connections than he had potions, one that would have no issues with overriding the headmaster's judgement, one that owed him a favor, the one who just happened to have the Minister of Magic in his pocket.

*X*X*X*X*X*X*

it took a few days for Severus to find the time to contact Lucius. He had been busy with Weasley's detention, Constant summons, and the usual duties that came with being a father. In one fluid motion, he lit the fire with the the tip of his wand and grabbed a handful of the floo powder that sat in the dish next to Elizabeth's portrait. With the same fluid movement the used to light the fire, he tossed in the green powder before clearly stating " Malfoy Manner".

"Identify yourself" Lucius's voice sounded through the flames. His formal tone in place as if he was expecting someone important to contact him through the floo this time of day.

"Must I?" Severus inquired. he enjoyed playing mind games with the eldest Malfoy.

"Severus!" Lucius's tone changed from the firm business tone to the casual tone they usual exchanged words in. " What a pleasant surprise, i would have thought you would be preoccupied this afternoon."

"No, no today Lucius." Severus stated as he leaned against the fire, getting a better look at the platinum blonde he had in his fireplace. " I have a favor to ask of you my dear friend."

"Is that So?" Lucius asked, as one of his elegant eyebrows rose.

"Yes, and it's very important." Severus stated, his tone turning serious. Lucius was silent for a moment before he nodded his head for the cold man to continue. "I need adoption papers from child services, the thing is, Albus refuses to aid me. It's important that i get these papers Lucius. i am afraid if i don't the child won't stand a chance."

a pensive look fell over Lucius's face as he processed the information before he spoke.

"Does Elizabeth know what you are up to?" Lucius tone was that of concern.

"Of course, it was almost her idea." Severus replied as he looked at his friend. "Do you actually think i would do something this major before bringing it up to my daughters attention?"

"No of course not" Lucius replied the pensive look still upon his face. "So what do you need?"

"I need my name cleared." Severus stated" they won't even consider me because of whatever Albus told them,. . "

"I'll see what I can do" Lucius stated "It will take a few weeks to get everything straightened out, but by the time I am done, 'you will have what you need."

"Thank you"

HP

Harry silently stalked his way to the Library. It had been awhile since he had willingly been there with out Hermione and Ron flanking his sides, but he still wasn't talking to them, and besides he doubted they would have left him alone so he could complete his own personal mission. Quietly he stepped over the threshold of the library, weary of Madam Pince's stare as he made his way to the potion's section. He needed to find Elizabeth; he needed to talk to her. His doubt was starting to consume him again, and as annoying as it may have seemed to everyone else, he just wanted to make sure that Snape really wanted him before he invested anymore of his emotions into this.

Harry knew Elizabeth had to be in there, even thought she was not in the first five rows of Potion's textbooks, it was apart of her schedule. He knew she spent Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's tutoring the younger members of her house in various subjects reigning from Potions to Arithmacy and everything in between. After a few more moments of Searching, Harry found her tucked in unnoticeably at the table wedged in-between the herbs and herbicides. Even with her long black hair falling in her face, he was positive it was her; after all who other than the potions' Master's daughter would be doing research on herbs.

"Elizabeth?" Harry asked in an uncertain whisper, he really didn't want to make a fool of himself if he was wrong, but he doubted he was.

As soon as her name rolled off his lips, her head snapped up in his direction, the mask she wore faltered before a small crept on her face.

"Harry. Isn't this a pleasant surprise?" Elizabeth stated as she placed her parchment in to the book she was reading before shoving it into the corner with the other books.

"Are you busy?" Harry asked, trying to sound calmer than he was.

"No not really, Just waiting for the girl I am suppose to help with charms." Elizabeth sighed as she motioned for him to join her. He knew it was risky. They had never really associated together in such a close proximity to other people.

"Do you mind if we talk" Harry asked after as he examined the stack of books to his left.

"No not at all." Elizabeth replied. "I doubt she will show up on time, she never does."

"Are you sure he wants me?" Harry asked, he was sure it was not the best question to start out with, but it just came out like that.

"Of course I am sure he wants you Harry." Elizabeth stated as she covered his hand with hers. "If he didn't want you he would have never have talked to you like he did after that lesson."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked

"Harry, I would never set you up to hurt you. Dad wouldn't do that either, Harry He loves you. I know he does. He just doesn't invest himself into anything or anyone that he doesn't think deserves it." Elizabeth explained." And trust me; he thinks you're worth everything he's got"

EB

There was a glimmer in Harry's eyes as those words came across her lips. It was heart breaking to see Harry be so insecure, so unsure that anyone would want him because that was how he was raised.

"I'll tell you what." Elizabeth smiled as she squeezed his hand " Meet me outside of your common room fifteen minutes before curfew tonight." Uncertainty danced across his face as he looked at her

"May I ask why?" Harry's voice trembled for a moment.

"It's a surprise." Elizabeth genuinely smiled. " I promise I am not going to hand you over to the Dark Lord or anything. Just me waiting for me alright?"

Harry nodded, the uncertain look still married his face, but he seemed to be pleased by the slight humor she had incorporated. For a moment, she wondered what the boy infront of her would be like once everything was figured out. She knew underneath all of his pain ad suffering, there was the Harry that she had seen roaming the halls for the last four years, but she doubted that was who _he_ really was. After all her father acted one way in class, one way during his summons and one way while they were alone, did that mean Harry was the same way? Or did he just play the hero persona because that was what everone expeted from him?

XXXXX

Elizabeth leaned against the door frame, watching her father neatly clearing his classroom with quick, percise, yet fluid motions his wrist. Even after watching him all these years, his magic and the way he could control it still amazed her. How many other wizards in their mid-thirties be so elegant with their magic? She had no idea. Sure her Godfather could do some impressive magic, but she doubted he could nonverbally undo a days damage to a potion's classroom.

"You would never know Gryffindor- Slytherin First Years have been here." Elizabeth stated quietly as the last of the cauldrons floated to it's place in the corner.

"If only it could stay that way."Severus retorted, a smile could be heard in his voice. Which was always a good sign, especailly for what she was going to ask.

"May I ask you a question?" Elizabeth asked as Severus turned around.

"Yes you may"

"I was wondering if you were up to spending some time with Harry." Elizabeth started slowly. " I know you have been under an immense amount of stress as of late, but he beginning to doubt if you want him." The good natured look upon the Potion Master's face fell as he processed his daughters words.

"When did he tell you this?" Severus asked after a few moments of silence

"In the Library today after lessons." Elizabeth stated. "He asked me if I was surfe you wanted him." The head of Slytherin sighed, his shoulders hunching as he brouht his and up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"What time did you tell him to be here." Severus asked quietly, half of his face was hidden by his hand,

" I told him I would get him a few minutes before curfew." Elizabeth said as she watched her parent remove his hand and look at the clock in one of the darkest corners of the room.

"That's. . . . " Severus began as he studied the round white face framed by the black circle. " That will be fine. Today is Weasley's last detention so it should be rather short. Does he know what you are up to?"

"No. I didn't want to give him false hope." Elizabeth explained as she watched Severus slowly make his way to his desk.

" That's important." Severus stated as he pulled a stack of essays his way. "Now get before Weasley Comes in and begins to complain.

SS

Severud watched Elizabeth leave his door way. After a few seconds of observing for intruders, he sighed deeply. He should have known that Harry would have begun to feel that way. It had been a long while since he had actually talked to the boy, in fact that last time he had talked to the boy outside of class was when Elizabeth accidently blew up his potion so He, Severus, could tell him how he felt.

"You have to do this Severus," The Potions' Master told himself as he began to murder the essay infont of him. "How can you be a parent to a child if you don't talk to them?"_You can't _

Severus sighed as he stopped grading and rested his head in his hands. The situation was getting out of control. Albus was interferring with his life like he always had, The Dark Lord seemed more and more determined to run him ragged (not that he inteneded on telling Elizabeth), His son was the boy who lived and he couldn't for the life of him get the papers to officate that, and to top it all off, Weasley was becoming more determined to tear away at _his_ daughter for being who she was. He couldn't think of a time that was just as complex as this one.

Sure during the first war, life was hectic, he had so much going on/ From being a deatheater doing the Dark Lord's bidding, to getting is mastery, to preparing for the future with Mikayla who was pregnant with Elizabeth, to becoming a double agent because he discovered Mikayla was in danger for being with him, and Lily was in danger because of her son. Even then he was sure he still had a few moments to catch his breath. At that time he only had one master, and he didn't have to worry about dying because Elizabeth had some one else to depend on and. . . .

Severus had to stop there. He could have gone on all night if he didn't stop while he was ahead, and letting the past catch up with him was dangerous, especailly when he could be summoned at any time. After a few seconds of re-establishing his occulmency shields, he went back to his task at hand. And besides he had a persona to uphold, especailly if he was going to spend the next few hours of his life with a Weasley.

XXXXXX

Time seemed to stand still as he watched Weasley chisel the last of the cement off of the desk. The Head of Slytherin wished that time was moving faster than it was. His mind had been on Harry since Elizabeth had left a few hours ago, and no matter how hard he tried, the messy black haired boy always popped to the forefront of his mind.

"You can go Mr. Weasley" Severus stated curtly as the last of the stone crumbled to the ground. " I hope this has taught you a lesson that _maybe_ you don't know everything, even if you are a Gryffindor. Paying attention is the best thing you can do, especailly in a class as dangerous as this."

Weasley nodded as he he placed the tools he had used away in the box he had provided.

"Now get out of my sight."

Weasley disappeared from his sight faster than he had ever seen him, it was almost as if he understood that his words didn't just apply to school work. But he doubted it, rocks seemed to be smarter than that boy.

Sighing, he vanished the mess that was left by the disinagration of the stone before glancing at the clock, it was fifteen minutes before curfew. His children would be there soon.

EB

Elizabeth leaned against the railing as she waited for the portrait to swing open and reveal Harry. She was nervous that he wouldn't show up, but she still had to put her best foot forward and make an attempt right? She wanted the two most important men in her life to be comfortable with each other, especially since they would be hopefully living together if Severus had his way. The portrait swung open as she glanced quickly at her watch. He was right on time. For a moment he looked lost as he scanned the hall before his eyes finally fell upon her.

"Didn't think I would be here?" Elizabeth asked as Harry walked towards her.

"I didn't think you would be on time." Harry replied. "Not with Ron just coming back from his detention."

"I waited until he went in to stand here." Elizabeth smiled as they began to descend the stairs. She wasn't up for a repeat of her last encounter with Harry's best friend, she used that term lightly, and she was sure that he wasn't up to spending another two weeks with her dad anyway.

"Is he going to be in a good mood?" Harry asked as they where half way down the stairs.

"He was when I saw him, but I don't think that changed." Elizabeth replied. "He tends to be in a good mood when I tell him there is a small chance I will spend time with him."

Harry nodded and remained silent as they continued down into the Dungeons. By the time they made it down, no one was out and the candles that lit the cold hallways slowly dimmed as they began to die away.

Elizabeth led the way to the potion's classroom; it seemed that Harry was a little more hesitant to take charge in snake territory, which was understandable. Half of her house opening despised and hated him for well, being him.

She wasted no time on knocking on the door; no sane person would come seeking the Potions' Master at this hour anyway. Breathing in slightly, she shoved the door open, allowing Harry to enter first. It seemed to be the best option anyway. She set this up so Harry could see their father, there was no need for her to be first.

"I see the two of you weren't caught." Severus stated as he looked up from him work, his hair falling , framing his face. Harry was tense, but she figured that he would be, at least until Severus let down his shields. After a few moments, Severus's face and eyes softened making him look his age causing the tension in Harry's shoulders leave.

SS

Severus could see the tension in his son's body as he stood by the door, but that didn'r surprise him. Every student he had come into contact with that had the same background was always aprehensive when they met late. _But this should be different, he shouldn't be afraid of you._ Slowly Severus allowed his mask to fall, revealing his trueself. If he wanted his son to trust him, he would have to be less _professor _Snape and more _Father. _ Severus waited for a few moments before placing his grading quill on the desk and pushed himself up. For a moment he shuffled his papers into a neat pile to be finished later before moving.

He closed the gap between Harry and himself in a few strides. He was so close to the boy, he could see doubt in his eyes, and the uncertainty that was just under the surface of his facial expression. With a small smile upon his face, Severus spoke softly.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to hug me?"

A flicker of Emotions played across Harry's eyes before the young boy threw himself upon Severus's middle, arms enclosing around his waist holding him tight. Severus's smile widened as he wrapped his arms around Harry holding him close. Normally he wouldn't have started off an incounter with that particular question, but that was the only way he could think to get Harry to reach. It was his way of showing the boy he loved him.

Severus tilted his head until his chin was resting ontop of his sons. He could feel Harry shaking in his arms as they stood there. With a quick flicker of his eyes, he could see Elizabeth and the smile on her face.

"Harry?" Severus whispered into the mess of black hair, receving a nod in response.

"Harry, you know I love you don't you?" Severus began quietly as he felt a sob shutter through the body in his arms. "And I am doing everything I can to get you and keep you."

AUTHORS NOTES:

this is the longest chapter I have every written for any of my stories, and it just makes me so Happy :D


	26. question and Answer

Lucius leaned back against the soft cushioning of his high back chair. He had been working on obtaining the paperwork Severus had asked him for the past week and a half, but it still seemed as if he had just started. It appeared as if Dumbledore had begun digging this giant hole for his friend since Severus's battle for Elizabeth had ended nearly fifteen years previous. sighing, Lucius leaned forward, resting his head in his hands, allowing his platinum blonde hair fall around his face. He was determined to complete the task his friend has given him, not because it was Severus, but because he wanted to show Dumbledore who he was messing with

. After a few moments, he recomposed himself, allowing his steel gray eyes to scan the documents in front of him, listing everything that Severus had done during his stint as a Death Eater and the proof behind it, three fourth of the way through the claims, Lucius had almost given up, until he spotted something, something he had overlooked, something that Severus could use to his advantage. A silent smile appeared on Lucius's lips as he leaned back against his chair. All he needed to do now was visit the Ministry, visit the minister, flash a few hundred galleons, sign his name on the dotted line, and his old friend would have what he needed. He had to admit, it felt good going over the headmaster head.

SS

Severus laid upon his side in his dark bedroom. His abused body was stiff and sore, but that was to be expected. he had been punished by the Dark lord, who was displeased with his latest information. It had been ages since he had been in this much pain, but he knew it was worth it. It enabled him to know that for a few hours, no matter how heinous those hours were, his children were safe.

Severus turned until he was flat on his back and stretched his achy muscles and joints. It would take a few days until everything was back to normal and he wasn't so sore, but he would have to deal with it after all there was no rest for the wicked. . . speaking of the wicked. He wondered if Lucius had made any progress on the paperwork he wanted so desperately. He knew it would be a challenge to clear his name because Albus would not have made it easy to be accomplished. he just hoped that his friends standing and pocketbook could clear up the matter before the looming holidays and he had no real desire to explain to his son why he could not go with him and Elizabeth when they left for Christmas.

sighing, Severus glanced at the clock on the wall. 4:30. an hour before he needed to be up. relaxing his tense muscles, he closed his eyes, maybe he could get an hours worth of sleep before he had to begin a day full of obnoxious dunderhead students.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Severus made his way from station to station, observing his fifth year Gryffindor- Slytherin class. this time he had made the unfortunate decision to allow them to pick their own partners for the bruise balm they were supposedly creating. By the looks of it, only a few were going to have a decent product. Silently sighing in irritation, Severus planted himself behind his desk and proceeded to grade the impressive stack of essays he had accumulated over the past week. With the soft sound of bubbling mixtures and knifes softly knocking against the cutting boards that lined the various stations.

Every now and again, Severus would look up from his current essay, paying close attention to Harry. He noticed the slight change in Harry since he had told the boy he loved him. The Gryffindor didn't appear to be so forlorn, or on the verge of a breakdown, but the boy wasn't his normal self. _Or was that 'normal' self just a mask?_He wasn't sure, but he figured when he and Harry had a proper chance to talk, he would discover who the real Harry Potter was.

"When you are finished with your balm, jar it and turn it in." Severus stated clearly from his desk, his eyes jumping from person to person. Due next week, a 3 foot essay on the importance of flubberworm mucus in balms and Salves as well as the side effects of using too much or too little of this ingredient." There was a collective groan from the class. No one wanted to write that long of an essay on that anyway, especially since the snow was beginning to fall and everyone was more than ready for the Christmas break.

"You have plenty of time to complete your assignment before you run rampant for the holiday." Severus states sharply, earning several glares from the students. If he couldn't spend the next three weeks free of work, then neither could they, after all life wasn't fair. If it was, Mikayla would be alive, Harry would have his parents, and the Dark Lord would have stayed dead.

"But sir" Ms. Granger began,, her hand in the air,

"There are no butt's Ms. Granger" Severus cut in. "This is your assignment, if you continue to make such a big production out of a simple essay, I will double its length, which is something I doubt any of you want." Severe silence filled the room, as he received hateful glares from both sides of the room, but after fourteen years of teaching, it no longer phased him. the tension filled silence was finally broken by the silence. Stools scraped the cool stone floor as the students turned in their balms and left. One by one, Jars of the deep purple paste were staked upon his desk.

"Mr. Potter?" Severus stated as the boy approached his desk with his friends leading the way. "Stay after, I need a word with you."

"Yes-sir."

HP

Harry was surprised his father asked him to stay after class, surely he had not done something wrong? he had made the balm as instructed, even with Ron deciding he wanted to be partners, Harry assumed that was an excuse for him to talk to Ron, but it really had not worked. He really didn't want to talk to Ron until he had apologized to Elizabeth, which he doubted would happen.

"Did I do something wrong sir?" Harry asked as the door shut behind Ron leaving him there alone with Snape.

"No, Harry, nothing is wrong." Severus replied as he leaned against his desk, opening his arms so Harry could hug him. "I just wanted a moment with you."

Harry wrapped his arms around the Man's middle inhaling his familiar scent as the strong, warm arms enveloped him. If this was what it was like to have the most fear teacher in Hogwarts History love you... then he loved it. He had never really be loved by anyone until he met Ron and Hermione, but to have an adult, one who was actually related to you, love you, it was truly and utterly amazing.

"Really?" Harry mumbled into his father's chest as they stood there in the classroom.

"Of course you silly boy." Severus replied as he rested his chin on top of Harry's head. "If i didn't then i wouldn't be doing this." Harry smiled. Every time he had an encounter with his father he was always reassured that he was wanted. He was always reassured that he would not be a burden. Was this how his sister felt every day? Was this how people who had loving families felt when their parents hugged them, showing how much they cared for them? He was pretty sure it was, he would have to ask Elizabeth later, when they had time.

Slowly Harry felt his father pull away and held him at arms length, looking him over. The man's usually cold, dark, onyx eyes held different emotions than the usual disdain and hatred he was acclaimed to. No instead there was something else in his eyes, something that made the man look younger. Love. there was love in the deep depths of the potions' master's eyes.

"Why don't you come down to my quarters after classes today?" Severus suggested quietly. " We have some things to discuss and it would be best to do it in the privacy of my quarters. Away from prying ears, and it give us time to... bond"

The last word seemed strange coming from Severus, but Harry liked the idea. Slowly but surely he was becoming a part of the family he always wanted.

"Yes sir." Harry replied as he threw his arms around his father's middle again.

"We will also discuss what to call me when I see you this afternoon." Severus replied as he ran his hand through Harry's hair. "Off to class you go, and I will see you after your class."

EB

Elizabeth smiled as she placed three sets of dishes on the square maple table that sat in the middle of her father's kitchen. Her father had invited Harry to come and spend time with them after their classes, something she never thought he would actively do on his own. She knew her father loved the boy. she had seen it and he had said so, but she also knew that her father had some self esteem, self confidence. trust, and rejection issues that went back to when he was younger than her. At least that was what her Gram said, and her Gram should know, since she was her dad's mother right?

AS Elizabeth finished setting the table, she could hear the rustle of her father's 'casual' clothing against the door frame has he leaned against it.

"Do you suppose Weasley and Granger will hinder him?' Severus asked a few seconds later.

"I hope not." Elizabeth replied "I know he really hasn't talked to either of them of for greater part of three weeks but that will probably resolved by Christmas."

Severus grunted as he continued to watch her set the table. Apparently he wasn't so keen on the idea of Harry forgiving them. Then again, she supposed if she was in his shoes, she wouldn't either. After all how could you forgive the people that overlooked the abuse of your son or contributed to the mistreatment of your daughter?

"What does he see in them?" Severus asked quietly as Elizabeth rounded the table one last time.

"As far as I know they were his first real friends." Elizabeth stated as she leaned against the square table. "Or at least that was what they were saying during the summer. Harry and I never really talked about it."

Severus rose one of his elegantly arched eyebrows as the words rolled off Elizabeth's tongue.

"I suppose that would be a reason to go back to them." Severus replied, a hint of knowing in his voice. "Did they elaborate why they were his first friends he had?"

"No, not exactly. I suppose they didn't really know either." Elizabeth sighed. "Eventually we might know the answer to that question, and other questions we may have, even if we don't like the answer."

HP

Harry stood in front of Snape's office for what seemed like hours. He wasn't sure if anyone was in there, and he didn't know exactly where in the dungeon maze the Potions' Master lived. With a deep breath, Harry raised his knuckle and rapped on the hard wood door. Anxiety gripped his insides until the door creaked open, reviling Elizabeth on the opposite side. A small smile was on her lips as her eyes fell upon him

"We were wondering when you would get here." Elizabeth stated as she motioned for him to enter the office. His father's office had not changed in all of the years he had been his student: potions ingredients preserved in jars that lined all four walls.

"Sorry, but Professor Trewlaney kept us later than usual" Harry replied as he heard Elizabeth shut the door, causing what little light that lit the room to dim.

"It's quite all right." Elizabeth stated as she moved towards a door he had never noticed before. "It gave us some time to straighten up the place." Harry cocked an eyebrow as Elizabeth murmured a password and the door swung open gently revealing a large warm colored room. From first glance, it seemed impossible that these rooms might belong to the cold head of Slytherin, but upon closer expectation from the door way, Harry could see that everything about this room identified his father. From the floor to ceiling book cases to the warm cream colors that made the space fill homey.

"Is this you live?" Harry asked as Elizabeth walked onto the tiled floor.

"When I was little yes" Elizabeth stated as she guided him to the couch. "I usually sleep in the dorms with everyone else, but sometimes I stay here with dad and keep him company."

"Where is he at anyway?" Harry asked quietly as he took in his surroundings. The room looked much bigger from the outside, but he supposed that was because of the color choices. Pictures of Elizabeth lined the mantle and even some vacant spaces on the bookshelves.

"Changing probably" Elizabeth replied as she watched Harry as his eyes danced from picture to picture. "He doesn't wear his teaching robes after class unless he has detentions."

Harry nodded as he pushed himself up from the couch to examine the photos closer. Some of the first pictures his eyes fell on were of Elizabeth when she was a baby wrapped in a light green blanket, others had a woman who must have been in her late fifties or early sixties holding the rather tiny Elizabeth. Quiet a few of them had the head of Slytherin with his daughter. The Potions' Master seemed so young back then, by the looks of it, just out of Hogwarts. Nevertheless, the usually cold man had a smile upon his face in every picture Harry saw. He thought it would have been creepy to see the stoic man smile, but it wasn't instead it was a welcome change. He liked seeing the thin lips upturned at the ends as the older man had his arms wrapped around Elizabeth.

"Who's this?" Harry asked as picked up a picture The picture frame was an antique, the silver was tarnished and the photo was slightly faded, but the two individuals were still visible. The man was obviously his father; there was a genuine look of happiness on his face as he rested his chin on the woman's shoulder. His arms wrapped around her waist.

SS

Severus stood silently as he watched Harry examine the numerous photos he had accumulated over the years. Many of photos were of him and his little girl as she grew up, some of them where of him and his mother; there was a few of him and Lily, and even fewer of him and Mikayla.

"Who's this" Harry asked as he picked up an antique silver frame. The metal was tarnished around the edges and the photo was slightly faded, but that did not diminish the quality of the photo or the memory.

"That is your sister's mother," Severus answered as he moved from the doorway. The picture had been taken the day that Mikayla told him she was pregnant with Elizabeth, up until that point, he had never felt so happy. With gentle hands, he took the picture from Harry's hands and examined the girl he was holding. In that moment. "However, I did not ask you down here to examine photos" Severus stated as he set the picture down. "You are here so we can discuss you"

There was an emotional shift that played across Harry's face in a matter of seconds. He didn't blame the boy for being afraid, after all it wasn't every day you had a discussion about your future with the man who was suppose to hate you.

"Take a seat Harry." Severus gestured back to the couch were Harry was originally seated and waited until both of his children were seated before continuing.

"Harry how would you like to come and live with us?" Severus asked as he glanced at the pictures of him and Elizabeth that lined the mantel " Of course I would und-"

"Yes" Harry replied quicker than Severus would have thought, he thought he would have to convince the boy of his actions and intentions, then again things had changed between them over the past few weeks.


	27. Break through

Harry didn't know what compelled him to say yes, he was just glad he did. The look that appeared on Severus' face was one that he never would have expected to see. It was sheer happiness. Harry had never thought that he'd see a look like that on the potion master's face, let alone that he would be the one to put it there.

Elizabeth giggled beside him like a little girl and it struck him that this was the first time he had actually seem his sister happy.

"There is one more thing before we sit down to dinner" Severus said, the glow of happiness was still ever so apparent. "Harry. . . I want to legally claim you as mine, you already know that I am your father, but I want it to be recognized by the Ministry."

"You want to adopt me?" Harry asked, his voice trembling. He never thought that they would make it this far.

"Yes, I want to adopt you" Severus stated. "I am waiting for the paperwork, but before I actually began the process, I wanted to clear it with you."

In a blink of an eye Harry was ensconced in Severus' arms. "Yes" Harry murmured "Yes, yes, yes."

SS 

Severus sat at his desk grading the numerous stacks of essays that had somehow accumulated there. He had neglected his grading for quite some time, but it seemed as though his students either did not mind or didn't care. He was halfway through the third and final stack when his fire place came alive with green flames. After a moment, the person he had been waiting for emerged from the emerald flames.

"Lucius" Severus greeted as he set down his grading quill." I was starting to wonder if you had forgotten about me." There was a smirk upon his lips and a playful note in his voice as he spoke.

"Forget you? Never." Lucius replied as he handed a rather large envelope over to Severus, who took it with questioning eyes.

"Are these the. . ."

"The papers, yes." Lucius replied as he seated himself across from Severus in a rather hard chair. I found a loophole while reading over the criteria they wanted and your qualifications."

"Is that so?" Severus asked as he withdrew the coveted forms.

"Yes." Lucius replied. "Remember that letter he wrote you when you had to get Elizabeth?" Severus nodded "I used that, they said they wanted a letter, they didn't say it could be nearly twenty years old."

"What was my qualification?" Severus asked as he withdrew a new quill and began to fill in the blank form.

"Your education, job, and parenting skills," Lucius stated as he watched Severus fill in the form. "It's blatantly obvious that you are a good parent, you raise that girl of yours by yourself."

Severus nodded as he read over the questions and filled them in to the best of his ability.

"So who are you planning on taking in if I may ask?" Lucius inquired as Severus' hand hesitated for a moment before he mumbled something.

"I hate to tell you but I don't understand gibberish." Lucius stated as he watched his old friend.

"Harry Potter." Severus enunciated as he looked over the forms before signing his name at the very bottom.

"Are you insane?" Lucius asked as he stared at the form Severus was holding out to him.

"No, I know and understand what I am doing Lucius." Severus sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "The boy needs help, more help than anyone else here can provide. No one else on this staff has ever been through a quarter of what you and I have endured. I might be a heartless bastard ninety-five percent of the time, but everything we have worked for is riding on this one child."

Of course he didn't want Harry because he was the key to winning this war, but as long as he played it that way with Lucius he would be fine. After all, the older man did not need to know his real intentions, right?

Lucius gave him a skeptical look before taking the papers and looking them over to ensure they were properly completed. "I hope you know what you have just gotten yourself into old friend." Lucius murmured as he rolled up the papers and placed them into one of the many pockets of his cloak.

"Of course I know what I have just gotten myself into, Lucius." Severus replied "I would not have asked you for the papers if I had not. Besides, you and I both know this idea that we have is for the best. The faster we can get the war over with the faster we can return to the lives we created." For a moment there was an unusual glimmer in Lucius' eyes before the older gentleman turned to the fire.

"I will go and have the order filed this afternoon, with any luck they will be processed in three to four weeks." Lucius stated as he stood on the hearth. "If we -you- are lucky, you should get the certificate on or a little after Christmas."

"Thank you Lucius." Severus said as he watched his blond companion throw a handful of Floo powder into the fire and step in before disappearing.

With a deep sigh, Severus leaned forward and rested his elbows upon his desk. He was getting closer to calling that boy his even if he had to mislead one of the few people he could trust on it. But it was for the best. He was still uncertain what side the eldest Malfoy played for and whether or not he still claimed loyalty to the Dark Lord. A little lie was the best way to go, at least for the moment. It would keep his kids safe, for a little while. 

HP

Harry had no idea how he was going to break the news to his friends. He was certain they would freak but so would everyone else when they found out, well almost everyone. He was pretty sure Elizabeth would be nothing but smiles as everyone else scoffed in horror and made their varying opinions on Snape's treatment of him heard to anyone who would listen.

For the first time in months Harry felt a smile crawl onto his lips at the thought of everyone's reaction. Quietly he sighed and rolled over onto his side. The rays of the setting sun lighting up the practically empty dorm as he took a moment to relax before dinner. He was sure he would wait until the adoption was final before he told anyone. He didn't want to complicate the issue even more than it already was, and he was certain that the moment the news hit the papers there would be an uprising in whatever department his father was going through, hell there might even been an investigation.

At that thought a chill ran down Harry's spine. That was the last thing he wanted .That was the one thing he was truly afraid of. What would the Wizarding world think then? What would they do to him when they found out how weak he was? What would Elizabeth think . . . well actually he already knew what Elizabeth thought. He already knew she would love him unconditionally no matter what he had to go through, and she would stand beside him no matter what he had to face from this step forward. At least he knew he had two people on his side when the dam broke and everything came flooding in at once. . .

"Harry?" Hermione's voice echoed through the stone corridor as she ascended the stairs. "Harry?" Hermione stuck her head into the dorm, her curly hair framing her face as she leaned in. "This just came for you." As she extended her hand, a gold envelope came into view. Slowly Harry pushed himself up from his place on his bed and retrieved the letter from Hermione's fingers.

"Thank you." Harry replied as he examined the writing on the envelope's front. He could feel a rather thick letter hidden under the expensive gold paper.

"Are you coming down to dinner?" Hermione asked as Harry slowly slid his finger under the flap to open it.

"Not right now Hermione." Harry replied as the paper began to rip as he tore it along his finger.

Harry paid no attention to his friend as he withdrew the parchment from the gold wrapping. Slowly Harry sank back down on his bed as his eyes scanned over the letter.

_Harry,_

_It would be greatly appreciated if you would come to my office after dinner tonight. We must discuss several things before you leave for the Christmas Holiday. I have enclosed several documents that I feel you need to look over before any further decisions are made in the near future._

_Sincerely._

_Albus Dumbledore. _

Harry glanced over the documents the headmaster had included in the letter before stuffing them back into the envelope and tossing it up on his pillows.


	28. Shipped Away

Harry fidgeted as he stood in the headmasters office, his pulse was racing and his anxiety was going through the roof, but there was no way he could now escape the man's watchful gaze. He cursed himself silently, he should have brought Elizabeth with him, she would've watched out for him, she could have eased the tightness in his chest and the dread he felt in his bones. However he had came alone, and that was the stupidest thing he could have ever done. Taking a deep breath he slowly approached the headmaster's desk and took a seat in one of the chairs that stood before it. His hands rested on his lap as he looked up into the blue bespectacled eyes.

"Thank you for coming Harry, I know things have been difficult for you for the last few weeks, but that will soon becoming to an end." Dumbledore stated as he looked at the young man. "Everything has been taken care of"

There was something inside Harry's chest at his words, had he decided that the proper place for him to be was with his father and his sister? Had Dumbledore really taken care of Everything so he didn't have to go back to the Dursleys ever again?

"Really Sir?" He asked a she sat up a little straighter, happiness slowly blooming with in him.

"Yes Harry" he smiled as he pulled out a file from a desk drawer and set it in front of him, sliding it to Harry. Quickly he grabbed the folder and opened it quickly, but the happiness he had felt died in an instant as he read over the papers. He couldn't believe it. These papers did not transfer guardianship over to Snape but instead it affirmed that his Aunt and Uncle as his only living family.

"I didn't think you wanted to go live with someone with such a questionable background as Professor Snape. Heaven knows he would have lost custody of Elizabeth if he had not paid off the court system" Harry shook his head. As he continued to stare at the papers, he would chose Snape over his Aunt and Uncle anyway. At least he would be safe with him. At least he wouldn't be beaten, at least he could be happy and loved.

"And your Aunt and Uncle have agreed to take you for the holiday" The papers slipped from his hands as he looked up in disbelief. This had to be a bad dream, something terrible. "They are waiting for you as we speak, they have agreed to have a floo connected to get you there safely. Harry continued to shake his head as the Headmaster stood and walked around the desk.

Harry fought as Dumbledore helped him to stand, but the old man was stronger than one would think. He was shoved towards the fireplace, a mantra of 'Nonononononono' leaving his mouth and echoed in his head. But there was no one to help him as the flames turned green as she was shoved in, before he knew it, the fire and consumed him.

SS

Something was off, Severus knew it the moment he stepped back onto the grounds, something felt off and he didn't like it, not one bit. Frowning he made his way quickly back to the castle, his cloak billowing behind him, making him blend into the darkness as the snow crunched under his feet. The castle was dead quiet as he slipped through the entrance doors, it was late but that never stopped students from running rampant just before they were to be sent home for the holiday, but this was different. It was an eerie silence, one that bothered him more than he would actually let on as he made his way down to his chambers. He entered to find Elizabeth curled up on his chair, staring into the fire, quietly his onyx eyes scanned the room, and found that she was the only occupant.

"Where is Harry?" Severus asked as he shrugged out of his cloak, throwing it over the back of the sofa as he moved to stand by the chair his little girl had perched on.

"He didn't show up" She said as she continued to stare into the fireplace, the orange light illuminating her face and eyes, the concern etched in her features. "Didn't show up for dinner either"

The Potion's master felt his pulse began to race as he ran a cold hand through his hair. "Did you go looking for him?" He asked as he tried to keep the panic out of his voice as Elizabeth finally turned to look up at him.

"Of Course I did, I asked around, No one saw him, no one has seen him" Elizabeth sighed "I don't like this, He wouldn't have just vanished off the face of the earth, Dad, you know that. I have a feeling he had a bit of help."

Severus' eyes narrowed at the implications, but he didn't doubt it, he never doubted that the old fool would have done something to the boy, the question was what? And Severus was going to find out.

"Stay here, I have some business to attend to" The head of Slytherin stated as he turned on his heal and headed towards the door that lead to his office.

HP

Harry landed in the living room of Number four Privet Drive with a thud, He didn't dare look up from his place on the floor as he saw the familiar shoes that belonged to his Uncle. The teen was overcome by fear as he felt a meaty hand grab him by the collar of his shirt and haul him to his feet, he gulped as he saw the plum color of his uncles face as he moved his eyes from the floor.

Seconds later he went flying to the floor as his Uncle tossed him to the side, his bulk towering over the small Gryffindor boy. _Please let them find me... please come and save me Dad..._ Harry thought as the blows started to rain down on his body as his Uncle yelled at him, but what was said was lost as he tried to block out the pain, as he tried to imagine if he didn't go to Dumbledore, then he would be sitting with Elizabeth, far away from this hell hole. He would be safe with people that loved him, with the man who was his father, and the girl who had saved his life. Closing his eyes, he hoped they would come and look for him, he hoped they would save him.


End file.
